


The Crystal Gems

by Agent66



Series: War of the Worlds [9]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Crystal Gems, F/F, Gen, Headcanon, Homeworld (Steven Universe), Homeworld Gems - Freeform, Homeworld Hierarchy (Steven Universe), Homeworld is Horrible, Rebellion, Speculation, the war - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2018-05-30
Packaged: 2019-01-25 23:05:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 92,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12543264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Agent66/pseuds/Agent66
Summary: They were traitors.They were rebels.They were The Crystal Gems.





	1. Part I: The Rebellion

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome back, Kotters! It's time, it's time for story number 9 in our every growing serial. Welcome to the War of the Worlds serial, where we are moments from launching into the ninth story overall and the fourth story in the actual story arc. Apologies for the lateness of this - RL and honestly, the very daunting task of trying to tell the story of our Earth saving fighting force was a lot.
> 
> A little history - this story was actually a separate one that I came up with before the idea of the serial. In a later story, I planned to have Pearl and Garnet tell the story of the war (something I still would very much like to see in the show) and this was slated to be a later story. However, when the ending to [Prisoner-A-Go-Go](http://archiveofourown.org/works/12227193) came to me, I decided to move this up in the list.
> 
> To be perfectly honest, this story is really seven long chapters of head canons. I kid you not. And if you've ever had a discussion with me, then you know I has _a lot_ of head canons. Simple cartoon, my ass. LOL I wrote up this [ primer](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_Kf_POUuIApAMlhI13z2MkdeAmuI48BiQcUko8M7FvI/edit?usp=sharing>) for anyone who happens to jump in, but doesn't want to go through 8 fics to catch up. I will update every time a story is finished.
> 
> Because these are head canons, you may not agree with me, but I will state that these ideas have come from events in the show that have been stated or alluded to. The one thing I do harp on is that the show, all its gay space rock vibes, is very much based in reality and the writers have pulled and parodied many a real life event - I'll get more into that during part 3 - so I've kept that same idea.
> 
> In case you are just joining us - this series is an AU season 5, which starts immediately after the episode I Am My Mom. It goes without saying, I hope, that you need to be up on all four seasons. As this diverges from what we saw in Wanted, Lars is still on Earth and everyone involved still believes Rose shattered Pink Diamond. 
> 
> Lastly, thank you ALL for continuing on this ride. I really can't say how much I appreciate the comments and bookmarks and kudos. Shout out to my chat homie, realfakedoors - if you're not reading her [own great series](http://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors), read this first chapter, then go and read her stuff. You will not be sorry. Shout outs to the other great authors I chat with on Discord who allow me to pester them almost daily with questions. 
> 
> That's enough of the biz-ness! Sit back, relax, dinner orders are being taken - we 'bout to begin!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we learn about the history of the gems, the creation of Pink Diamond and her creation of the rose quartz gem. Pink has lofty plans, while our Rose Quartz is taken with the beauty of the Earth.
> 
> However, all things that glitter are not gold, as trouble brews under the surface and Rose reaches her breaking point.

Space.

Sometimes known as the final frontier for other worlds and their inhabitants, but for the space fairing race known as gems, the frontier is theirs to explore. Their gem empire began to flow out from their home world, their reach stretching to the worlds that were within their solar system before extending outside of it.

Their solar system, the Crystal System, held much of their empire; the surrounding worlds, or colonies, being overseen by their leader White Diamond. Outside of their solar system, worlds that came within their sight were quickly reviewed, overtaken, and conquered, the indigenous people either surrendering to the might of force or, if they fought back, completely obliterated from the face of the planet to ensure there were no uprisings from the locals.

While the matriarch White Diamond ruled from inside the Crystal System, her fellow rulers – Yellow Diamond and Blue Diamond – ruled from outside of their solar system, over their own colonies; with the combined might of these three, their empire had amassed hundreds of worlds.

And they weren’t planning on stopping there.

Wanting to further expand their empire, the three leaders got together and decided that they needed a fourth, one who would help conquer those worlds alongside them.

Then, the gems would own and rule all of space and time.

 

* * *

 

When Pink Diamond was first created, the amount of potential that sat on her shoulders was immense. The youngest of the Diamond Authority, Pink would carry on her sisters’ legacy by conquering her first world and starting her own ruling system. This was not something that was taken lightly – capturing your twentieth or even fiftieth world could still feel the same as when you first captured your very first planet. But that first time - the first time a planet became yours, when you first stood on its surface and knew that it belonged to you...

There was a process, of course – an aquamarine was usually sent out to survey the land, see if it would provide the resources needed to produce and sustain gem kind; if it did, then the military units would come through, see if there were any inhabitants on the surface and what their technology – or lack of one – could mean against them. In the end, once the inhabitants were gone – either through surrendering or military force – the other teams of gems came in.

The lapis lazulis would begin to terraform the planet, making it suitable for gem inhabitants, while bismuths began to construct the necessary buildings for their intellectuals. Up until the second era of gems, Kindergartens – the areas in which gems are grown – had been constructed by bismuths, their combined strengths being able to construct injectors on various sites in order to implant gems into the planet’s core. Using the resources and minerals within a planet’s surface and crust, injected gems grow until they finally emerge from the ground.

This was how gems were made.

Fully grown and fully aware of their purpose, gems walk out from their incubation chamber and within a few moments are able to fully begin their set purpose for their kind, their empire, and their Diamonds. Gems are created in batches, so there are several types of almost nearly every gem, though within their civilization, there were exceptions to the rule.

At the very top were the four Diamonds – leaders for gem kind and rulers of the gem empire. They were virtual and possibly literal life bringers, as it was them who set about creating the subjects that would eventually serve them.

Under them were the elite gems – these gems were often not mass produced, as their abilities or skills were of a high caliber function. This was true of gems known as sapphires, rare gems who could literally see the future and helped their Diamonds know of events beforehand, furthering their knowledge of whether a planet would make a suitable site or if the inhabitants would cause unreasonable challenges.

There were administrative gems that oversaw the daily tasks within a colony, ensuring that gems were serving their purpose for their leaders. There were builders, as mentioned, who constructed all the buildings for those above them to sit and contemplate. Towards the bottom of the rung were the military forces – these were the gems that were mass produced, in order to push the might on the ground, to wrench control of a planet into the hands of the gems.

All of these gems had their place within a society – orderly, precise, direct, and conformed.

Gems were important, they were necessary, and they were expendable. If a gem did something to upset the status quo, they were quickly disposed of, with another one of their type taking their place; this helped to reinforce the idea of conformity. There were no individuals among Homeworld’s colonies – the only individuals were the Diamonds; all others were servants of those Diamonds, tasked with the expansion of their empire.

If they were lucky, they would live in the service to the Diamonds; if they weren’t, they would die in their service.

That was the will of the Diamonds.

And their will was to be done.

 

* * *

 

The planet known as Earth was a relatively new planet that had come under the radar of the gem home world. It was a backwater planet, something so far out from their own galaxy that is never even registered on their original potential group of colonies, however when it did come to their knowledge, no one from Homeworld would know how the planet would shape their future.

As was the procedure, Blue Diamond sent one of her aquamarines to survey the planet. The small gem helmed on of their ships, complete with a full crew and even some jaspers and rubies, military foot soldiers. The ship hovered above the planet, surveying from afar so they wouldn’t be detected and could easily leave if the orb didn’t have what they wanted or needed.

The planet was nearly 150 million kilometers from the sun, the apparent energy source for planets within this region, while its size was relatively medium, its diameter only thirteen thousand kilometers around. From space, the gems aboard could tell this planet was very strange – unlike other planets within this galaxy, the small blue ball looked like something iolites, auralites, or citrines would come up with when at the lowest point of their creativity.

Even from space, the gems could see strange, milky blobs that seemed to shift over the mostly blue planet; this blue seemed to cover the entire sphere, with exception to some land masses, both large and small. It really should’ve been written off, however…upon deeper reflection…

This strange planet, made of blue, white, and brown had compositions that were extremely important for the gem empire. Scanning the planet, a moonstone aboard delivered the astonishing discovery – the planet was mostly made up of iron, but also magnesium, nickel, sulfur, and titanium. There was also a small moon that seemed to orbit around the planet, a perfect place for a moon base.

Surprised, but still wary, the ship decided to land and do a land survey. Aquamarine, due to her small stature, took to the skies on the planet and began to survey. Most of the planet was mostly barren, but she did come upon strange beings that were roaming these land masses and all were different. There were bizarre, four legged creatures who varied in size, color, and even shape.

There were similarly odd…things that were moving under the strange colored liquid on the surface. And then…there were the…two-legged creatures. It would still be sometime before gem kind would put a name to these things, but regardless of name, there were still truly…well, disgusting at minimum and inferior at most. Aquamarine hovered over one of the small colonies these things inhabited.

Like the four-legged creatures, these two-legged ones varied in size, structure, and designations. Most of them were tall and hairy, though there were small ones that seemed to take their orders from the older ones, but unlike gem society, the smaller ones had to be taught what to do and the tall ones seemed to be spend a lot of time teaching.

Their appearance modifiers seem to lack any type of style or markings that denoted whom the leaders and subjects were and what was worn seemed very little to the imagination. All were hairy, but the larger creatures seemed to have more hair on their faces and bodies than their small counterparts; those bigger creatures seemed to be the leaders and while they had some sense of weaponry, it was nothing against the might of the Diamonds and their military forces.

Aquamarine quit her survey, flying back to her ship, and reporting back that this planet had potential. With that, the ship lifted off and headed back to Homeworld, a new planet for colonization in their minds.

 

* * *

 

When a Diamond is created, their first act is to create gems in their image. These gems would usually take on the color of their Diamond, signifying which court they belonged to, however as the gem empire grew, it wasn’t unheard of for many of these gems – especially those within the military set – to be gifted to the other Diamonds.

This was true of quartz soldiers. Quartz soldiers were the bulk of Yellow Diamond’s military command, as they were built to fight any foe they encountered. They were large, muscular, and even for their height, fast; these quartzes could take time to incubate, but only because the longer time they were under the ground, the bigger they would be once they emerged. They were usually deployed on scale, mostly surrounded by the smaller, yet equally volatile ruby soldier, with rubies being the first to fight.

Only if those rubies ran into trouble would a quartz get involved. In most cases, a planet’s inhabitants could easily be cleared by a squad of rubies, but for those who insisted on disregarding and worse, disrespecting, the very might and strength of the gems and their Diamonds, then the quartzes would be released.

The planet Earth, after being surveyed by both aquamarine and an agate from Yellow’s military elite, was selected as the new site for a gem colony and this new colony would be started by the young Pink Diamond. Pink had emerged nearly a thousand years ago, taking part in helping her elders in taking and colonizing planets that were growing their great empire.

But she had not gone out and claimed her own planet.

Until now.

Earth, being out in the galaxy and easily taken from its inhabitants, was the perfect location to start a new era of colonization. The gems had just about conquered the northern and eastern parts of the galaxy, while they were slowly making headway into the western parts, leaving the southernmost area of the galaxy open and ready for the taking.

But before the planet could be colonized, Pink needed to create.

The young ruler had gotten advice on what she could create – soldiers, intellectuals, seers, builders – and more, however as the youngest Diamond, Pink wanted to do something different. She wanted to combine the skills of those gems – a soldier who would think, strategize and not just blindly fight against their foes; someone who could think ahead in a situation and who could build a foundation for better ways of combat.

While they never truly lost a gem during battle, a gem could be poofed and cracked and even shattered, but Pink wanted to avoid all of that; she wanted to create a super soldier, one that could be an asset against foes who could, potentially, turn on them. It was a crazy thought, something that would probably never be used, but it was an interesting idea. And surprisingly, one that would actually be utilized.

Just not by Homeworld.

These new gems would be called rose quartz.

 

* * *

 

The first rose quartz gem emerged from the Homeworld Kindergarten.

Many a gem emerged from the central capital planet and it was one of the reasons gems looked and then conquered other planets in the first place – plentiful resources that could used instead of taking from their own planet. With Pink Diamond now completing the once trifecta of diamonds, the goal for the species was to stop all gem manufacturing and production on Homeworld period, shifting it towards their growing colonies and newer conquests.

As was procedure, before a Diamond could rightfully take their place on a budding and potential new colony, they needed to create a few new gems before taking them – and a number of military gems – down to their planet in order to recreate the process there. Pink created around one hundred and fifty of these rose quartz gems to be used within her court – their primary function was that of protection, as no Diamond in their right minds would go walking around unescorted by less than a team of highly trained jaspers or amethysts, however Pink had wanted something more than just, well, brainless muscle.

It wasn’t that the soldiers from Yellow’s court were mindless – quite the contrary! All of the gems created were incredibly smart, however there were gems that were obviously smarter than others and their society depended on gems knowing their place within that society. So there were no ruby intellectuals, just like there were no lapis lazuli soldiers; amethysts weren’t using their brains outside of strategic planning and moonstones put all of their mental power into research and intelligence.

Pink Diamond, though, wanted a better mix of brain and brawn – she wanted her gems, especially those protecting her, to have thoughts beyond just fighting and brawling, but that didn’t mean she wanted them sitting at the intellectuals’ table.

She just wanted them to be able to turn down the invitation because they would be too smart and their conversations would ultimately frighten Blue and White’s ‘oh so wonderful and brilliant’ courts.

Though young, Pink had hundreds of years from watching her fellow rulers capture and build their own colonies and while theirs was a thriving empire, she had seen firsthand the calamity that happened when trying to persuade or take a place from inhabitants already there. Their first response was to wrestle the planet from them and the second response – if there _was_ a second response – was to wipe the planet clean and start anew.

The younger Diamond thought this was a complete waste of resources. These inhabitants, once accepting their fate, could be a boon to their empire; they could elevate gems and replace them with the subjects from these other planets. Pearls would be more useful as dancers and singers, while the former inhabitants of Rigel 8 could’ve taken their place. Bismuths could spend more time building elaborate halls and spires, while the former inhabitants of Alpha Centuri could have mended repairs.

These were ambitious, if not blasphemous, ideas the young Diamond had and they were just the beginning. Pink would not only show her sisters what she could do, she would prove to be a far more superior Diamond then the other three; it would be _her_ models that would be followed for future conquest. Yes, it would mean a slight deviation in their current society to incorporate lesser beings, but these beings would be behooved to them for their continued existence and therefore, willing to do whatever was told of them.

As crazy as it was, Pink knew once they conquered the galaxy as a whole, there would be nothing left and their empire would only sustain itself if they weren’t overusing the plentiful resources and materials they had now. Why waste a perfectly good squad of rubies when they could send in those massive creatures from Morai?

No, Pink’s way would be better.

And it would all start with these first rose quartz gems.

 

* * *

 

Rose Quartz was part of the original batch of her gem type that had been grown and emerged from Pink’s Kindergarten on Homeworld. From the time she emerged, she knew exactly what her purpose was – to protect and serve her Diamond.

All of the rose quartz gems were built for battle, as were all soldier gems, but along with the urge to protect Pink Diamond, other traits would become the standard for these gems. They were confident, even in the face of their own Diamond, hardly ever showing fear when standing before her; this was a huge departure for most gems. Gems knew from the beginning there would be consequences should they displease or go against their Diamonds, but those hundred and so rose quartz gems – while aware of their Diamond’s wrath – seemed unafraid in the face of certain shattering.

They also had another strange directive – see that no harm came to the original inhabitants of a captured Homeworld colony. While this wasn’t to the same degree as making sure nothing happened to their Diamond, these rose quartzes had the innate ability and drive to make sure a planet’s inhabitants survived once their planet was under gem rule. Their purpose was to convince these creatures that their Diamond, who in this case would be Pink Diamond, would not harm them, but only if they cooperated.

They would then be incorporated into the gem hierarchy, taking the servitude position that would formerly belong to pearls. If all worked well, the gem empire still grew and evolved without the sacrifice of gems to do so.

Rose quartz gems were immediately put in charge of the foot soldiers Yellow had gifted to Pink, with a direct suggestion that she begin to incubate jaspers, amethysts, and rubies. Pink took it into consideration only because it was nicer than to just blow the older monarch off. From Blue, she got one of her favorite lapis lazulis and two sapphires to help better position her colony’s resources and buildings.

White Diamond was their leader and a leader must lead by example. White saw the potential in their youngest cohort, but also something behind her eyes that made the elder consider what best to give; as the oldest, some of the best gems were within White’s court – hematites, charoites, kyanites – so it seemed understood that Pink would receive a grand gift from their glorious grand leader.

White wanted the young Diamond to grow into her potential, to express these…grand ideas she had with the start of a new colony, but she also didn’t want the youngster to just run amuck with gems under command. She would need guidance, especially when on a hostile planet alone, and she would need some that could be given and perform tasks to the best of their abilities.

That meant there was only one choice.

White gifted to Pink her very own pearl.

 

* * *

 

Everything was set.

The court of Pink Diamond was headed to the planet of Earth. It had taken decades, several at that, but they had finally gotten things in order to further the process of colonization. Pink and her entourage were enroute, heading to the planet in a few ships. With her were her lovely Rose Quartz gems, all of them tall and strong, their gems shining in the light. Each had the same colored pink hair their Diamond did and they were all very confident in their role as protector to their Diamond.

The first landing on Earth was a rather quiet one – the lead ship landed in some sort of grassland, startling a group of strange creatures that quickly scurried away due to the commotion. This ship held a squadron of rubies and amethysts, who quickly got out to begin securing the area for their Diamond. For everyone involved, this planet was strange – the ground seemed to constantly change from solid to liquid, green to brown to blue, and the strange creatures around were either terrified or thought they could take on these different colored walkers.

After defeating many of these creatures, the soldiers sent word that the area had been cleared and was secure for their Diamond to land. Pink Diamond and her entourage landed in a much larger metal ship, with her own jaspers and rose quartz soldiers walking out before her; behind them emerged Pink’s palanquin, a large transport hub that sat on four animatronic legs. Inside this carriage was Pink Diamond, sitting confidently in her throne.

To her right was small gem dressed in pink. Her shoulder length pink toned hair hung in her face, covering her eyes. This was a pink sapphire, a seer within the structure of Homeworld and a very rare gem. Most sapphires were held within Blue Diamond’s court, as her colony of Austain held the perfect mix of resources to create these incredible future tellers; sapphires could see events that hadn’t yet happened, directing the course of fate so that the Diamonds and their courts could be prepared for anything.

All of the Diamonds, even Blue, had their own personal sapphires, while other sapphires were kept pampered in great spires and towers. To Pink’s own knowledge, there had only even been ten sapphires created in her lifetime and there were only seven remaining currently.

To her left was a pale, white figure, very thin and with her head bowed. This figure was a pearl. Pearls were the very lowest of gems, even rubies were above them in the hierarchy, as pearls were nothing more than personal servants and tokens of high positions. Pearls were created by a completely different process than regular gems, as in they were never incubated in a Kindergarten. Pearls could be custom made in order to match their owner in tone and personality, this was why there could exist so many different colored pearls.

But they were, after all, just pearls. A pearl’s duties ran from fetching items for its owner to helping prepare its owner for travel; pearls were also used for entertainment – all pearls were created to sing and dance, so that they may better serve their owner’s whims and needs. They were weak gems, easily overpowered and dominated and they only had one job in their lives –

Serve their owner.

There were, as anything else, exceptions to the rules, and those exceptions were due to status. Pearls who were owned by the gem elites had slightly more privileges, though not much, and could be treated with slightly more respect than a common pearl. And no pearl had higher status than a Diamond’s pearl.

A Diamond’s pearl was the personal attendant for a Diamond and was always by their side. While their role was the same as any other pearl, their position as an aide or even confidant for their glorious leaders put them on a higher tier than even rubies or amethysts. No one dared to threaten or mistreat a Diamond’s pearl – a gem could easily be shattered for just _looking_ at a Diamond’s pearl the wrong way.

That’s how much influence they could have.

This particular pearl had the distinct honor of once belonging to White Diamond. She had been made personally to be everything the leader of Homeworld wanted and needed in a pearl – loyal, intelligent, eager to please – but something went wrong in this pearl’s creation process. Instead of the perfect circle that should’ve adorned her forehead, the gem had come out elongated by about two inches.

This pearl was defective, but for some strange reason, White Diamond held on to her. That is, before she gifted her away to Pink. The process of creating pearls was slightly quicker than say the military elite, however it still took time, especially when all pearls were custom for their owner; Pink, eager to get started on colonizing her new planet, would be patient as her pearl was being created, however she couldn’t go to Earth without an attaché, so White had graciously given her the use of her own pearl. There had been some talk of this pearl being on her last cycles, hence the move from White’s court to Pink’s, so most figured it would just be a matter of time before she was phased out, replaced in both courts by newer pearls.

For now however, this pearl looked out into the barren wasteland of the planet and took a step closer to her new Diamond. “My Diamond,” she whispered, nervously. “Are you sure this planet is…safe?”

Pink gave the pearl a glance, causing it to shrink away in embarrassment. “Sapphire?” she asked.

“I see no threats, My Diamond,” the sapphire replied. “There are more strange creatures, like the two-legged ones Aquamarine reported, but nothing our soldiers can’t handle. I foresee a great colony.”

“You see, Pearl,” the Diamond replied. “There’s nothing to fear. If there was, our sapphire would see it. It is a strange land, I will give you that, but soon what you see will be replaced with tall spires, temple buildings, and all of my gems. Doesn’t that sound nice?”

“Yes…yes, of course, My Diamond,” the pearl stuttered. “My apologies for being so frightened.”

“You needn’t apologize,” the larger being said. “I was a little frightened myself, but now that we’re here, now that I see this place, I only feel excitement. This will be a great colony, one that will rival all the others. Nothing could possibly go wrong.”

 

* * *

 

Rose Quartz, facet-1C2F Cut 9FH, was fascinated by Earth.

Everything about the planet was new and interesting. As part of the newly created gem type, Rose had her orders from the moment she emerged from the kindergarten on Homeworld – protect her Diamond, love her Diamond, and devote herself to the planet and their empire. With her other gem types, Rose boarded the ship to Earth along with her Diamond and other members of the entourage.

As with the other quartz gems, cut 9FH had rather long hair, that curled into ringlets at the end, and was in the color of her Diamond’s color, signifying her as a member of Pink Diamond’s court. Her hair laid across the typical body suit worn by most of the solider class of quartz, though Pink Diamond had made her quartzes with a more reddish uniform, where the top portion went up the neck and the insignia was proudly displayed on their right side, instead of center the way the other uniforms were.

Upon landing on the planet, Rose was immediately taken by the very air of the planet – the air! There was oxygen on Homeworld too, however it was only in areas that would be conducive to improving gem growing conditions, but Earth…Earth was _covered_ with it! No one in the court seemed to understand why the planet would waste perfectly good resources on the entire area, but Rose didn’t see it like that.

Rose saw the different colors that littered the landscape – blues, pinks, reds, greens – it was almost like the colors of Homeworld manifested on this planet, but in so much variety. There were also strange creatures that roamed the lands – four legs, six legs, things that flew through the air…and everything was different, in different sizes, different colors. The others enjoyed prowess against the larger creatures or by crushing the smaller ones, but that only made Rose sad and disappointed.

Was she the only person that saw the beauty and wonder here?

Apparently so because Pink Diamond wouldn’t listen. “My Diamond, they are literally destroying the planet!”

“That’s precisely the point,” Pink Diamond replied, raising an eyebrow at her quartz soldier. Though leader she was, Pink would make time for her inner court, making sure that they could bring any concerns and issues to her attention; it made it easier to find any root cause of trouble and squish it. “We are here to make this planet a part of my growing colony,” the leader continued. “These remedial eyesores will soon be replaced with glorious towers and spires that showcase the true power here – mine. This will a wonderful colony to continue our empire; imagine it, 9 FH, the very spot we stand in will be the center of my command.

“Do not worry about these sparkly things. They’ll be gone all in good time.”

Even Pink’s pearl felt the same, even if she was rather nervous about stating her opinion. “Why are you so interested in this planet?” she asked. Rose had managed to find an odd kindship with the pearl, something highly out of the norm considering their status within Pink’s court, but the quartz soldier found the whiter gem interesting and intelligent; the fact that pearl tried to stifle some of her own interests made Rose want to teach the thinner gem.

“It’s just…it’s just a useless rock that stands in the way of our Diamond’s future and glorious colony,” Pearl continued, hands waving nervously out towards the landscape. She also got nervous when Rose started speaking outside of their roles; heck, she was still nervous that someone would see them speaking to each other. “The planet is full of hideous beasts and strange, colored…things growing from the ground…”

“Plants.”

“What?”

Rose laughed. “They’re called plants, Pearl,” the quartz chuckled. “And flowers. Look at how many colors there are! Aren’t they beautiful?”

The servant glanced around – they had been sent off to check on one of the proposed kindergartens, but of course Rose went off the path in order to show Pearl some of the ‘plants’ and ‘flowers’ she was so enamored with; they were in some area that was covered with them and in the distance, was another with larger, looming plants that seemed to tower in the sky. “Can I show you something?”

The question startled Pearl, both for the question itself and that Rose wanted to show _her_ something, a pearl. At a loss for words, the thinner gem could only nod. She watched the quartz bend down and touch one of the petals on a yellow ‘flower’ she had earlier pointed out. At first nothing happened, and Pearl was seriously worried that perhaps the quartz was malfunctioning, especially when she started to speak to the…thing.

But as soon as the doubt began, Pearl watched as the yellow object began to move, seemingly on its own, leaning forward as though trying to reach out to Rose. The quartz gem patted the flower on its…head? Petals? But the affection was clear, and the flower knew it. Looking up at Pearl, Rose had the biggest grin on her face, the accomplishment and wonder so clear in her eyes and features.

“How did you do that?” Pearl whispered.

“I don’t know,” Rose shrugged, looking at the little sprout. “I discovered it a few days ago when I was leaving the village. Loras was telling me about how they can use the plants and flowers to heal their wounds and injuries. It was quite fascinating.”

Pearl didn’t understand any of that, but there were many things that were disturbing. Could the other rose quartzes do this? And if so, what would that mean for Pink Diamond? Who was Loras? What village? Pearl knew it must have something to do with the most disgusting creatures they had run into – the two-legged variety, the ones that their Diamond also had an interest in. Pearl couldn’t comprehend what the fascination was – the two legs were primitive, barely able to speak in complete sentences, always engaged in strange rituals like putting things in their mouths and expelling them out the other end – the very thought of them made the thinner gem shiver in revulsion.

The servant was growing more and more concerned with Rose’s attitude towards their Diamond and their society as a whole. She seemed more troubled with the plight of the Earth than what was in store for this colony, the colony that Rose would no doubt be a part of as a high member of Pink’s court. Did Rose really not care about her own kind?

Case in point, her journeys into the two legs’ villages whenever they were discovered. The creatures were genuinely afraid upon seeing gems for the first time, but Rose always made sure to make the creatures at ease; that would’ve been fine in order to ensure they wouldn’t think they could take on the might of Pink Diamond’s forces, but then she would continue to speak with them, stay with them, engage in their habits, etc.

That wasn’t the purpose of the rose quartz line.

And if Pearl could see, so too could Pink Diamond and the thinner gem was in the unique position to see that herself and she knew Rose’s complaints were starting to wear thin on their Diamond’s ears. Why couldn’t Rose just…be like everyone else?

 

* * *

 

The first days of occupation soon turned into weeks and then years and in that time, Pink Diamond was learning more and more about the planet. Her troops reported back on different creatures that roamed various areas – this planet was far more resource ladened than had ever been reported. The two legs that built their colonies in the area used these beasts as labor, much in the way rubies or amethysts were used to cart things around or how bismuths were tasked with building their structures.

Even in this primitive society, they had their roles. It was something Pink could respect and in turn, she expected the same from the lower species. She wanted to learn more about them, so when one of her roses – cut 9FH if she remembered correctly – began to spend her time with them, Pink naturally encouraged the gem to speak about their ways. Pink’s interest was entirely academic; in order to fulfill her own objectives, she needed to know if these creatures were able to perform the tasks she needed them for.

So, Pink ordered her soldiers to take some of these...humans for her to study further. It didn’t matter who they took, as long as it was in a range that could help her discover if these creatures could be taught and trained. But that also proved to be a problem – their environment was one suited for these creatures and wasn’t at all right for them to serve on a proper gem world. So the youngest Diamond came up with a better plan.

Without talk or even approval, Pink sent a few bismuths into the outer recesses of space and instructed them to build her a great structure, one that could hold her little science projects and give them an ample area in which they would get better acquainted with life on a gem controlled planet. 

She called it a space habitat, but in a few hundred years, gems would know it by another name –

The Human Zoo.

And for intents and purposes, that’s exactly what it was – humans were captured on Earth and taken to this new orbiting enclosure where they were monitored and studied. Gems had never come across humans before and in most cases, never had cause to even study the species they came across when conquering their current colonies, so Pink was more than happy to give her scientists and researchers free reign in order to discover more about these creatures. One of the first things they discovered is that these creatures needed sustenance – apparently the organic materials they put into their faces was fuel that they needed to continue, well…living.

Pink had to lose at least five humans before she reluctantly granted that the humans needed to be given nutritional supplements to keep them from keeling over. Of course, giving the creatures their daily rations meant they produced…liquids nearly soon after; it made no sense. They put materials in their bodies only to expel them within hours of nourishment. It was horrific and disgusting and _no one_ at the zoo liked having to clean up after them, so sometimes they didn’t.

Another thing they learned was human life spans.

When Pink asked a variety of humans, that’s what she got, or rather a close proximity. To be crudely honest, all two legs looked the same to most gems and other than heights and differing colors, a quartz couldn’t tell the difference between a child or an adult or an elder. So the human zoo contained a mixed bag of everyone – sometimes, soldiers ended up getting people from differing tribes, causing in fighting in the group.

Instead of stopping any conflict, the gems overseeing the facility encouraged the fighting, monitoring how humans professed their dominance. It was still primitive compared to their clean and efficient way gems handled their foes, but their fighting styles did give interest to the soldier class, who often took bets on who they thought would win or at least, would stay on their feet. Those humans were the ones jaspers, rubies, amethysts, and other soldier classes wanted on their side; they were still squishy, but maybe they could be used as first deployments instead of rubies, who actually did have some uses.

The younger creatures really had no place in the zoo, nor did the older ones. The youngsters also seemed to need guidance and were quick to terrify, while the elders weren’t as agile or strong as the fighting humans. There also seemed to be differences between the two – stronger, larger ones and smaller, ample ones; the larger ones were nearly covered in hair, but were fighters, while the smaller ones seemed to tend to the youngsters or elders. The small ones seemed perfect as replacement pearls, being able to tend to others and understanding simple instructions.

The creatures were intriguing, despite the murmurs of annoyance from her own court. She knew her gems hated anything to do with the two-legged creatures…well, all except 9FH, who seemed even more interested in these beings than her own Diamond. But even Pink was growing disturbed at the lengths 9FH would go to – she had only wanted the rose quartz gems to protect the two legs from harm when it came to _other_ gems.

Now one of her own was visiting their village, sitting down and speaking with them…she seemed to be spending more time with the creatures than she was actually protecting Pink. That could not stand, but Pink didn’t want to lose her dignitary for the creatures – currently, 9FH was the only one who actually understand the creatures’ language and she seemed to be the only one they wouldn’t run away from.

Well, at least until that…incident.

The progress Pink had, well not at all gained with the creatures, was fundamentally changed when she actually took part in an excavation of the species. She was coming to understand that the two legs only had a limited life span, so it was important for her to get those that were healthy and hale. She had sent some of her jaspers and rubies out before her, but her sapphire had warned her that they would do something fundamentally stupid that would cause some sort of rift or fight between the rose quartzes.

Not wanting to have any internal squabbles, Pink quickly set off with her palanquin to the little village that had been discovered a few weeks ago. Just as sapphire predicted, there was 9FH purposefully standing in between a smaller two leg and a group of about six or seven gems made up of jaspers, rubies, and her own quartzes. The air was tense and still, with exception to the squawking of the bundle in the arms of the smaller two leg.

“What is the meaning of this?” Pink questioned, her voice booming out in the air. “And what is that awful caterwauling!?”

“Our apologies, My Diamond!” shouted one of the jaspers. “But as you can see, one of the rose quartzes refuses to let us take the two leg behind her.”

“She needs to stay here, with the offspring!” Rose countered. “We’ve already taken a number of people from this village, we don’t have need for anymore!”

“I will tell you when I have fulfilled my need of these creatures, 9FH,” Pink retorted, her eyes narrowed at the quartz. “And I have need of this one. Now stand aside and someone do something with that…thing making all that noise.”

That should’ve been the end of it, but this particular Rose Quartz was as stubborn as she was kind. Instantly, a rounded pink shield appeared on her arm and she slid into a fighting stance, her eyes cold and determined against her own gem caste. “I’m not moving.”

It was an act of defiance no one had ever seen before, especially against a Diamond’s orders. Even the group of soldiers that stood before the quartz were stunned by her actions. “Rose,” the pearl hissed, leaning forward to try and catch the quartz’s glance. “Please! Think about what you’re doing!”

“Rose.”

Rose glanced towards the towering being of Pink, but kept her eyes trained on the group before her. Pink had leaned down towards the group, making her already towering height loom even larger despite being lower to the ground. “When I created you,” she replied, kindly. Gently. “I made it so you would protect these creatures from being harmed and you are doing a wonderful job of that; I couldn’t be prouder. You are truly the most remarkable of gems ever fashioned.”

Rose tried not to feel…praise at the statement, but she couldn’t help it. The Diamonds would often heap accolades upon those that deserved it, making them shining examples of what the others should strive to be; even now, Rose could see the envious looks coming from the jaspers and rubies and she had to fight her lips from growing into a grin.

“And you have fulfilled your duty,” Pink continued “But I have an even greater task for you, one that includes the creatures you care for. Rose, do you truly believe I would harm them? I need them, just as I need _you_.”

A flash of embarrassment and guilt came over the quartz. What _was_ she doing? True, her very purpose was to serve her Diamond and to keep these little creatures from harm, but that meant harm from the _other_ Diamonds and other Diamonds’ _gems_ , not her own. Her Diamond needed these creatures and Rose’s job was to make sure they knew the gems wouldn’t hurt them, that they were going to be doing a similar service and they would _happy_ , happier than they were now.

Rose understood what Pearl had been trying to tell her – she was standing in the way of progress. Pink Diamond could’ve easily done what previous Diamonds had – completely wiped out the surface of the planet and started anew, but she didn’t. Well, granted they would still most likely have to change some parts of the planet so it would suit gem life, but their Diamond was going out of her way to ensure the people and creatures could stay and be a part of that life.

Why was Rose trying to stop that?

Lowering her shield, they all watched as it dematerialized, as the large gem turned her head to look at her charge. The offspring was still crying and the creature was still terrified of everyone but Rose, however with a nod, the creatures seemed to calm somewhat. It didn’t stop the crying however, even as the creature tried to shush it.

“My Diamond, I…”

“You’ve done very well,” Pink said, sending a small smile towards her quartz. It dropped however the more the…crying thing continued. “However, I can not let this go unpunished.”

Rose only realized something was about to happen when strong arms grabbed her, keeping her from breaking free. Pink’s talk and praise had done what she wanted – distract the threat and retrieve the target. Rose watched as a jasper snatched the bundle from the creature’s arms, pushing the two leg into the arms of another rose quartz.

“Bring it to me.”

The jasper holding the bundle held it out as though it would attack at any moment, which to all involved, seemed likely as it struggled in the unyielding arms of its captor. “You see, Rose,” Pink said, as the squirming speck was placed in her much larger hand. “In order for our empire to grow and thrive, those of little consequence must be purged. I have need for that creature, but no need for…whatever this is. It’s continuous wailing has done nothing but produce a large amount of noise.”

With a quick closing of her hand, the cries became muffled before silence reigned.

It shouldn’t have been a surprising action – after all, the Diamonds were known to…deal with others in such a way to set an example, to show what the Diamond Authority was capable of and what happened when you disobeyed. No gem should’ve been surprised, in fact all of them should’ve been happy that the noise had stopped, even if only for a brief moment before the child’s mother began to scream.

“Take the two leg,” Pink commanded, tipping her palm and dropping the small corpse to the ground as she stood. “Pearl, bring 9FH along. We have a long trip ahead of us.”

 

* * *

 

Rose Quartz, facet-1C2F Cut 9FH, knew she wasn’t like the other rose quartzes; she knew that. None of her fellow gem cuts took to the humans or the planet the way she had, other than they needed to ensure the inhabitants on the planet weren’t attacked by members of the other courts. As far as their own court or Pink Diamond herself, that was fine; it was all for the greater good.

But Rose didn’t feel that way.

Nothing of what they were doing was for the greater good. They were going to destroy the planet and everything on it and she knew that Pink Diamond had been taking the people of the planet to use as pearls on Homeworld. Rose had been spending time with those in the little village, befriending the two legged aliens on the planet and learning all manner of things from them. She learned what the plants and flowers were and how the two legs were able to use in so many ways, from food to healing agents.

The gems believed these aliens to be inferior, but Rose saw more to these creatures. They may not have been as evolved as gems, but they were able to use the land to their advantage – they used the larger creatures to help them gather resources, even used some of them as their food supply. It would a long time before Rose would understand the relationship between parent and child, that the smaller humans were the same species and were offsprings to the larger humans.

But even before she knew all the idiosyncrasies of humans, Rose had been devastated by this one moment from her Diamond.

Gems weren’t emotional beings, not really. There were a few exceptions – rubies, for example, were naturally hot tempered, easily flustered, and could be prone to emotional outbursts, but they also used those emotions to dive head first into battle, enjoying every moment of a fight. Other than that, most gems usually kept their composure, which was why Rose’s reaction to what happened was so strange.

She had been crying since being escorted from the surface of Earth to the steps of Pink’s palanquin and then inside. Her tears were still in her eyes, even as the crying had dwindled down to sniffling as the palanquin made its way back to Pink’s personal ship and then off the planet of Earth. Rose had kept to herself on the ship, even ignoring Pink’s pearl who tried to soothe her as they travelled to wherever it was they were travelling to.

Pink Diamond was trying to justify her actions, telling Rose she shouldn’t feel so down, that she was doing a better service than Blue, Yellow, and White combined and that their colony would be the first in a long line of new leadership and a new foundation for gemkind. These two legged creatures were just the building blocks to this new future and Rose should be happy with their progress.

The larger gem said nothing as they travelled through space, deeper than even Homeworld’s reaches until they arrived at a pink space station. As with many structures built in the name of the Diamond’s, Pink’s station was done in the color of the Diamond, glistening in the darkness of space against the backdrop of the stars and the ringed planet it orbited. Pink’s transport ship docked alongside the station, allowing for the palanquin to leave the ship and enter through a personal entrance designed for the Diamond.

Just as the outside was bright against the dark, so was the inside – just as glossy and just as pink.

Rose finally made a move, standing next to Pearl as they began to depart from their ship. “We’re here,” the assistant whispered, turning to slightly to address the quartz.

“And where, exactly, is _here_?”

“I’m not…not sure what our Diamond will call it,” Pearl replied. “But she says it’s the place where she’s been keeping those…creatures you’re so fond of. You’ve worked yourself into a tizzy over nothing. You’ll see. This is for the greater good, Rose, to expand our empire. Does that mean _nothing_ to you?”

Rose was quiet for a moment before nodding once. “Are you so content at having another species be treated the same way gems treat you?” she asked, silently. “As a pretty little bauble, to take out when the time is needed, and placed back in your cage when you aren’t performing?”

Pearl tried to keep her feelings in check. Rose was being grossly inappropriate, questioning the very foundation of their society. “This isn’t about me,” she whispered, furiously. “This has nothing to do with me.”

“Doesn’t it?” the quartz countered, turning to look at the thinner gem. “You’re so unique, Pearl. All gems are, if given the chance.”

“We have our roles, Rose.”

“Our roles dictate we shouldn’t talk to each other.”

Pearl turned slightly, her cheeks turning blue in embarrassment. Other than receiving orders, Pearl had no contact with the other gems in Pink Diamond’s court, other than Rose. The quartz had almost gone out of her way to be friendly to the gem, speaking to her as though…as though she wasn’t a pearl. It was unheard of and unnatural; Pearl was actually surprised they hadn’t been reprimanded by Pink Diamond yet.

Rose Quartz threw just about every mandate out the airlock and it usually caused Pearl undue stress. If she wasn’t careful, Pink Diamond would shatter them both. “Please Rose,” the thin gem implored. “Just…just do this.”

The quartz didn’t say anything for a bit. “She’s going to destroy that planet,” Rose whispered. “And everything on it. You saw what she did to the small one; she crushed it. That’s what she will do to Earth.”

“It’s not our concern,” Pearl said. “I’m sorry, but it’s true.”

“I’m sorry, too.”

Rose made to move first, actually stepping up to the side of Pink as she took a step into the hallway. “This,” Pink replied, gesturing to the structure itself. “Is the containment facility for the two legs. I know you’ve been asking what I’ve been doing with those that have been taken and here is your answer.”

“And I’m here because…?”

“You will do well to watch your tone, my quartz,” the Diamond admonished, sending a glare to the gem. “Must we do this? I know you’re upset about the tiny one’s shattering, but it needed to be done. It would have been much simpler if you had just let the two leg go when asked; do you honestly think I enjoy bringing you pain? This was supposed to be a reward for you, for all that you’ve done to help in the building of our colony.”

Rose was confused. Shaking her head, she said, “I don’t understand.”

Pink just smiled at her. “Follow me.”

The Diamond lead both Rose and her pearl down the hallway, towards the main section of the facility that was situated behind large, pink double doors. Waiting for them was a tall gem, only a few inches shorter than Rose herself, with a light hue of pink and long pink hair put into a bun.

“Ah!” she replied, smiling as her monarch began to approach. “My Diamond, how fortuitous to see you!”

“Morganite.”

“Is this she?” the morganite asked, looking Rose up and down.

“Yes,” Pink said. “This is Rose Quartz, cut 9FH. She’s been quite an asset on the new colony and while I hate to let her go, I feel this is the best place for her.”

The morganite hummed in agreement, nodding as she did so. “Excellent,” she replied. “Well, if you’d like, My Diamond, I can show you some of the things we’ve been working, as well as the condition of the creatures.”

“I would,” the Diamond nodded. “And it’ll give 9FH a chance to see her new role here.”

With decision made, the morganite sent a glare to the pearl. “Well?”

Startled by being caught so unawares, Pearl stuttered out an apology, rushing to the door panel in order to open the door. “Thankfully,” Morganite said. “When your new colony is set, you can receive a pearl worthy of you, My Diamond.”

“She’s fine for now,” the Diamond replied, waving the other gems besides the thinner gem to enter before her. “Blue sent word that the new pearl batches were thriving quite well. It shouldn’t be long before I’ll have a pearl of my own.”

Inside the chamber were a number of cells that were lined up on either side of the room, their interiors matching the pink exterior that could be seen everywhere on the station. And within many of those, were two legged creatures, huddled in the corner of the cells, shaking with fright. Light pink force fields kept them escaping and the few that had tried were no longer in their cells.

There were two legs from everywhere – light skinned, dark skinned, young, old – the creatures ran the gambit of variety, showcasing just how valuable these assets were.

On the outside stood three beryls who were recording different information on the screens in front of them. “As you can see, My Diamond,” Morganite replied, gesturing to either side of the chamber. “The creatures have been secured and my beryls are taking readings at every junction.” Grinning at Rose, she continued with, “Thanks to the information from 9FH here, we’ve made sure to provide them their nutrients, though I must say the entire process is quite disturbing. I don’t know how you stand to even be around them.”

Rose was disgusted, but not by the creatures she had grown to enjoy learning about; she was disgusted by this very practice. Every single two leg in here was obviously scared, especially the younger ones who were huddled in a single cell by themselves. These creatures were nearly opposite of the ones from the little village she had been trying to protect –

While those in the village were hearty and hale, thanks to their food sources and ingenuity, these creatures were skinny, skinner than even Pink’s pearl, and some looked to be quite pale. This was madness.

“Well?” Pink asked, looking down at her quartz. “What do you think?”

It took everything in Rose’s power to stay the first comment she wanted to make and Pearl could see it, too. “I think, My Diamond,” the quartz hissed. “Is that you are torturing these creatures.”

“Well then, I guess you’re in the right place,” Pink sneered. “I am placing you here, 9FH, to help tend and care for the creatures you love so much.”

“I thought you said this was to be a reward,” Rose spat, looking up at the colored leader. “This is a punishment!”

“Perhaps in your time here,” Pink responded, kneeling slightly so she could look at the gem.  “You might learn to appreciate your own kind. We are superior beings, my quartz, and as such, we must put ourselves above such pettiness. I’m glad you feel such affection for these creatures, however do not forget what their purpose is.”

Stroking one lone finger across her subject’s hair, the monarch gave the gem a sad smile. “It pains me that we can’t see eye to eye on this,” she whispered. “There was hope, yes, that you would see this as a reward, but I suppose this might be seen as a punishment; however, I think some time away will be the best thing for you. To fully see what I’m trying to accomplish and why you need to learn to temper yourself around our court and me, specifically.”

Rose knew she was going to be poofed about two seconds before it happened, her body disappearing and retreating into her gem, just before it fell to the floor. “Make sure when she reforms, it’s in the quartz quarters.”

“Yes, My Diamond,” Morganite replied, saluting the pink being as she stood and turned away.

“Come along, Pearl.”

The servant shouldn’t have been shocked or even surprised – she had seen her own Diamond do this many, many times before, however this was the first time she had actually known the gem in question, had thought maybe…they were friends. Were they? Rose had always been so kind to her, even when Pearl wasn’t particularly kind to her. Their last conversation was apparently _their last conversation_ and in some respect, Pearl was _relieved_.

Rose Quartz was an entirely different type of gem than Pearl was used to and that was dangerous, highly dangerous. Rose had been talking crazy things, insane things that had no place in their society and now…now, she had gotten what she probably been asking for. But for some unknown reason, Pearl couldn’t seem to take her eyes off her gem, even as Morganite picked it up and began to walk towards the door, sending Pearl a scathing – if not confused – look as she did.

“Pearl.”

“Yes!” she exclaimed, nearly jumping in her spot and hurrying towards Pink. “My apologies, my Diamond.”

“I hope your time with 9FH hasn’t affected you in some way.”

“No,” Pearl replied, shaking her head rapidly. “I’m sorry, my Diamond. I was…I was just startled is all. It won’t happen again.”

Pink continued to stare at the gem, her eyes narrowed. “See that it doesn’t.”

“No, no,” the servant assured. “It won’t. Never again.”

“Good,” the monarch said. “Because you can be replaced and you will be. Whether or not you are returned to White is to be seen, so you should do all you can to ensure that you are, indeed, returned.”

Pearl understood the threat quite clear. “Yes, my Diamond.”

 

* * *

 

_Five years later_

Rose walked down the halls of the creature containment module, as the beryls liked to call it, trying to come to a decision on what her next move would be. It had been five years since she had first arrived her, though for a gem, the small passage of time was nothing more than a quick blink of the eye. However, for the creatures she took care of, she could see how time affected them.

The younglings weren’t so young, growing into representations of the others, while some of the others were starting to grow into the elders and the elders…the elders died – a two leg variety of being shattered, however their bodies didn’t fall to pieces or disappear; their life force just left them, leaving their bodies almost as though the force had retreated deep inside the husk.

As on Earth, Rose had become friendly with the group and had welcomed the revolving door of creatures that seemed to come through. She did her best to calm their fears, but even as they recognized her for her kindness, they were still afraid of her, afraid of the beryls and morganite that would come by after her. And that knowledge pained her, but she figured it was the price of her torment.

To be surrounded by the very creatures she was supposed to be protecting and having to watch them suffer by the very gems she belonged…she had been right in her original statement to Pink Diamond.

This was a punishment and a torturous one at that.

In the five years she had been here, Rose had seen what Pink Diamond was truly up to and it wasn’t good. It was bad enough to kidnap these creatures from their homes and families, but now that they were in a deep part of space, isolated from even the other Diamonds, Pink’s orders to find out more on these creatures had been taken literally.

While most of the creatures were left alone, Rose had seen the beryls come and take a few away. Suspicious of the activity, the gem had followed the group into another room that seemed to be littered with gem technology. Beryls weren’t the only gems on the station, as Rose identified at least two tourmalines and three citrines there as well, standing around the creatures, while the beryls took notes.

In the middle of it was a slab that the creatures were told to sit on and then the gems would begin…tests. ‘Tests’ of course was the nice term for it, but Rose was fairly sure there was a much better word.

Experiments.

The gems would poke and prod the creatures, using gem technology and even some foreign tech that had been incorporated into gem society after being ‘liberated’ from their previous owners. Some of their skin and fluids were taken in order to be studied, while some creatures were kept into a smaller cell in the corner of the room. Much like the creatures she had seen when first being led into their chamber, these creatures were thin to the point where you could see the outlines of their insides.

Rose was actually appalled with the sight and even more so when her own innate curiosity couldn’t help but wonder what all of this was. The fact of the matter was Pink was hurting these creatures, doing the exact same thing she had created her own rose quartz gems to protect the creatures from. The scene she witnessed haunted her for days, especially when she saw the sadness on the remaining creatures faces.

When new creatures were brought in, she tried her best to soothe them, calm them, which only backfired once the beryls came to take them away. The very efforts she was trying to build were being torn away piece by larger piece when those annoying gems came by.

Day by day, year by year, Rose watched the two legs suffer and in time, their fears were soon replaced with resignation. Some creatures would just do what Morganite would tell them – Pink had placed her in charge of training the two legs into being the new pearls, teaching them the Diamond salute, despite the fact that many of them couldn’t get the shape of the symbol right. The smaller beings – whom Rose finally learned were called women in the creatures’ language – would dutifully try their hand at taking direction and performing the needed task.

Rose couldn’t help but notice these women _were_ like pearls in a way – smaller in comparison to the rest of their species, thinner, and able to handle objects delicately. They also reared back in fear when they were threatened with punishment, shrinking in on themselves when an instrument of torture was brought out before their gaze. The bigger creatures – men – always seemed to resist their new roles, often times rebelling against the other quartzes that were there.

It was one such aftermath of a battle that Rose discovered one of her greatest assets.

One of the men, a younger one who had grown from small creature into one that was starting to tower over his fellow women, had tried to come to the defense of his cell mate. Morganite had been quick to bring out a correcting rod – something that was used on pearls to help train them to be better companions for their owners – and the youngster had tried to protect her. He took the punishment instead, as well as a hit to the face from one of jaspers that was stationed there at the time.

Both attacks had severely injured the creature, essentially removing one of Pink’s prized possessions out of the arena for heavy lifting. As such, Morganite had plans to just tell their Diamond the creature had gotten out of control and had to be put down, something that seemed to be happening more frequently as the facility began to grow and quartz soldiers were being called back to Earth in order to help build up their colony and protect their Diamond.

When the excitement had gone down and Rose was able to head back inside, she found the creature curled in his cell, shivering slightly. Across from him was one of the elders from another village on Earth, Tobar. Tobar was dark skinned, a contrast to the two-legged youngster across from him, and much older. He had been a wise man in his village, a healer, before Pink Diamond’s forces came and took him.

He hadn’t been around as long as the others, but just his presence and position alone had brought much needed comfort for people’s so far from home and with others they didn’t know or even trust. Rose had found him to a wealth of information, as he explained about his culture, his life, and his own society and the gem hoped that, thanks to him, the others were not frightened by her presence anymore.

“Tobar,” she asked, looking at the youngster. “What is wrong with him?”

“He has the sickness,” the wise leader answered. “Possibly fever. Your people may have hurt him very bad.”

Rose’s eyes widened. Hurrying to the main control panel, she quickly lowered the force field on the younger man’s cell; she had once tried to free all of the creatures, right as she first arrived, only to discover there was an alarm built in to notify all aboard when someone was attempting to escape. It had cost Rose a reprimand, with a threat of her Diamond being notified; whether Morganite kept to her word or not (Pearl had sent a message that things on Earth were ‘just fine’), she didn’t know, but she knew she couldn’t afford any more missteps if she wanted to escape with the Earthlings.

Rushing into the cell, Rose knelt down next to the man, placing a hand on her shoulder in comfort. He gave a soft moan, more of a strange gurgling that the gem was sure wasn’t supposed to be there. Looking over at Tobar, she asked, “What is his name?”

“He is called Iyel.”

Looking back down at Iyel, Rose tried to shake him slightly, before rolling him over onto his back. The injuries were much worse than she had imagined – the side of his face was bruised and some of his liquid – ‘blood’ Tobar had told her – had leaked and dried from his nose. Now that he was on his back, Rose could hear that his breathing was…off – Iyel was struggling and seemed to be unconscious.

“Iyel?” Rose whispered. “Iyel, can you hear me?” She placed her hand on his head, the way she had seen Tobar and others do when checking for sickness. “Tobar, he’s very hot,” she said, pulling her arm back. It was like touching a ruby when they were truly angered about something and even from her vantage point, the gem could feel heat coming from the youngster.

“That is the fever,” Tobar nodded. “There are ways to stop it, but I do not believe your people have them.” The elder lowered his head. “Sometimes…the fever cannot be stopped.”

That…was not the answer Rose had wanted to hear. Of course they wouldn’t have the proper supplies here – not because of their location, but because of the people behind this. These creatures wouldn’t even have the ability to feed themselves if she hadn’t mentioned that fact and even then, she was sure it was just something to help keep the creatures alive and had nothing to do with nutrition or health.

She hated this! She hated this, she hated the gems here, and she hated Pink Diamond. That last thought should’ve spurned her into wincing away the thought, quickly finding a communication terminal, and apologizing for her hideous thoughts. But Rose had been long passed the point of no return regarding her Diamond and this was the final tipping point.

Here was this young man, this Iyel, who was going to die because of her kind’s cruelty to others. She remembered Iyel being one of the smaller creatures – children, she had learned – who had been brought here; Tobar had helped her understand how the two legs functioned, that they grew and continued to learn as they grew. Unlike gems, two legs could choose their function and purpose, sometimes learning more than one purpose; this concept of free will wouldn’t completely be understood by Rose until much, much later, but at this time, all she did know was that these creatures were unique to gems, possibly more so, and by their very existence, might be possibly be the more superior species.

What Rose truly found remarkable was that they were able to choose things. Again, the world in which gems and humans lived in would change significantly, but even at this stage, these creatures had more freedom than Rose had ever known or seen from her own kind. Here, in this facility for example, the creatures could choose to cooperate or not, could choose to help their fellow two legs or not; gems had no such choice.

It was always serve your Diamond. There was no ‘or not’, but there was always the unspoken and often never needed ‘or else’ that underlined the statement. Rose didn’t want to be on this space station, but she had no choice in the matter. And as she looked down at the young creature before her, she realized she had no choices in trying to save him either.

There currently thirty-five creatures here, grown from the fifteen that were originally escorted here. Of those, only five were actually able to survive the trip, gems quickly learning that these two legs were not space faring entities and would die without protective covering. During the middle of Rose’s life here, the facility had fifty creatures, but fifteen had died thanks to the procedures the beryls, citrines, and tourmalines put them through, lack of their daily supplements, or sickness.

Basically, gem incompetence at its finest for not understanding how these creatures worked and operated.

And every time Rose entered the chambers to find one of the creatures had passed on, she cried. She cried for their loss, cried for her inability to prevent it, cried for her shared prison in being there, and cried because she felt helpless.

So crying is what Rose did.

She knew what was going to happen – Iyel was going to poof or rather die, as Tobar had told her, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Her tears fell without direction, a few striking the young man on the face or his clothes, but Rose didn’t care. She just continued to grieve.

Centuries and millennia later, Rose Quartz would be hailed not only as a great leader, but a compassionate one; her empathy for the pain of others would lead her to becoming a proponent of protection for those who would be persecuted for being themselves. But even great stories have a beginning – Rose’s true beginning began in that cell, as she cried over this strange, new creature.

As Rose cried, her tears began to seep into the skin of Iyel. At first, they began to clear away the grime that had been left due to his bleeding and sweating, but then they started to clear away the damage to his face. Absorbing through his pores, the tears then began to mend the boy straight away – the broken nose he had suffered was fixed, the infection he suffered from dwindled before disappearing, the ribs that had been broken thanks to an annoyed kick by Morganite repaired themselves, as well as the lung that was punctured as a result.

Soon, the younger man opened his eyes slightly, seeing the familiar pink hair of their caretaker. “Rose?” he asked, his voice but a whisper, but no longer tinged with the sounds of death. The gem in question gasped upon seeing the creature now – no longer was his face battered and bruised, instead it held a healthy glow to it.

“Why are you crying?”

“I…” Rose began, her eyes wide in surprise and shock. Wiping a tear from her cheeks, she stared at the droplet that rested on her finger. Iyel tried to sit up, to maybe comfort the gem – she had always been kind to them, even when her own kind was not, but Rose quickly put a hand on his chest to stop his movements. “Are you alright?”

“I…” the young man began, before taking a breath and finding it no longer hurt when he did so. “Yes, I am fine. But…are you alright? Why are you crying?”

Letting out a watery giggle, Rose implored him to stay still, standing and quickly running out of his cell and back to the control panel. She located the cell that held Tobar, lowering the force field to his cell. The elder hurried to the cell across his, not waiting for Rose to tell him he could. When the gem reentered the cell, she kneeled next to Tobar, who was removing his hand from the younger man’s forehead.

“Tobar, is he okay?”

The elder nodded, turning to look at the gem. “There is no longer fever,” he said, giving her a strange look. “His body is mended, perhaps better than it had been before.” He continued to gaze at the gem, watching as her face morphed into confusion and then a conclusion only which she currently knew.

“This is not the first time you have done such a thing.”

Rose shook her head. Leaning in she whispered, “When I was still on Earth, I could make the flowers and plants move. As _we_ are moving.”

Tobar nodded. Her words confirmed a long-held belief he had about her – she was a special force among her people, someone different than those that currently kept them prisoners. “You have the gift,” he replied. “My people believe there are those of us who are made for purpose, special purposes, to help, to heal…to lead. _You_ are one of those people; you have healed one that should’ve died. You make things that should not move, move. You have a purpose, Rose Quartz, a task that only you must do.

“But you already know this.”

Rose did know this, had known it for some time, even before being put in this place. The question wasn’t what he plans were, the question was how she was going to carry them out and in order to do that, it meant she had to leave these creatures at the hands of those who would let them perish.

Tobar seemed to see the conflict within her, placing a hand on her arm in support. “Do not worry about us,” he said. “We too have our purposes. And there will be a time where you will avenge us, but it is not now. Now, you must find a way to further your purpose and I do not believe you can do so here.”

That conversation had been a few days ago, though for Rose, the passage of time she observed versus those of her charges was very different. None the less, the gem needed those few days to gather her thoughts and consider her next move. Tobar was right – what she needed to do and what needed to be done, could not be done there; it had to be done on Earth. But how was she to return? As far as Pink Diamond was concerned, she had put Rose there to rot, alongside the beings she cared so much for.

Rose had been put there for a reason, a purpose.

And then it hit her. Pink’s last words to her.

_“Perhaps in your time here, you might learn to appreciate your own kind.”_

That was it. Rose had shown her hand way too early, so her affection for the Earthlings had been shown from the start. What she needed to do was convince Pink Diamond that she had seen the error of her ways, so to speak; that her time on the station made her understand what Pink was doing and why the creatures needed to suffer the way they did.

She needed to prove to Pink Diamond that gemkind meant more to her than Earth kind.

 

* * *

 

Pearl knew something was up the moment the message from Rose Quartz came through.

She had received it, of course – as a Diamond’s pearl, it was her job to receive, route, and communicate all communications for her leader. The only exceptions were those that came from the other Diamonds, but even then, Pearl was supposed to accept the call and hand over the message to Pink.

Pearl nearly didn’t do that.

It had been a mere five years since they had left the quartz soldier on the orbital space station and within that time, Pearl watched as Pink Diamond continued to build her colony, continued to take the two legs away from the planet, and continued to destroy the planet in the name of the Diamonds and their gempire. As a gem, this should’ve pleased the servant to no end – she had staunchly told Rose this was the entire point of being there and that her very nature in caring for these creatures amounted to nothing in the grand scheme of things.

As a pearl, it wasn’t her job to question the decisions made by her Diamond or her owner. But Pearl found herself questioning a lot of things in the absence of the quartz who tried to befriend her.

Rose’s words to her and the memory of that day such a short time ago swirled in Pearl’s head on a daily basis, almost to the point she was convinced Pink’s sapphire could literally hear her own thoughts on the matter.

So when the seer announced that a message would come through from the orbital space station. This wasn’t an uncommon practice – Morganite enjoyed sending reports to her Diamond, explaining what they had discovered with the creatures and how they were even training some to take on the menial tasks of a pearl. Pink was of course overjoyed to hear of the progress – it was still early in production, but once the colony was completed, the Diamond looked forward to phasing out pearls as servants and more towards entertainment purposes or high level assistants.

It wouldn’t change their station in gem society, if anything, it would keep them in the same place if not lower as they would, eventually, phased out entirely if Pink had her way.

However, this time, the message wasn’t from Morganite, but Rose Quartz, cut 9FH from facet-1C2F.

_“My Diamond,” she began. “I wanted to offer my sincere apologies for how I behaved the last time we met. You were right – I had no appreciation for your vision and it pains me that I almost ruined the very thing you have been trying to accomplish. My time here has shown me what needs to be done and…I believe I can be a much better asset to you if I were to return to Earth._

_“I can only beg forgiveness and hope that you will allow me to show you that I do understand. I understand everything now.”_

Pink Diamond had of course been pleased, her lesson on appreciation obviously having worked on her wayward gem. The other Diamonds always tended to just be rid of problem-some gems, shattering them or repurposing them into something else, but Pink figured why not just punish them first before destroying them? Again, a complete waste of material and resources when one did that, even when their society boasted millions of gems, in every colony.

So sure of her success, she sent Pearl to meet the gem at the landing site, telling the servant to use the warp pad and show Rose her new position of overseeing the construction of a new Kindergarten.

Seeing Rose Quartz for the first time in five years shouldn’t have been a shock for the servant, but it was. As the ramp from the small transport lower, there she stood, smiling in remembrance and fond memories of the place she truly enjoyed and being greeted by the only gem she considered to be her friend. “Hello Pearl,” she replied, walking towards the thinner gem.

Pearl looked at Rose as though they had never met before – this didn’t seem to be the same gem that had been trying to protect a two leg from being captured, nor the same quartz who was clearly in Pink Diamond’s favorite batch of gems. Firstly, her attire was completely different – gone was the familiar pink uniform that identified members of Pink’s military, instead it was replaced with a flowing white dress, with a star pattern cut in the middle to allow for her gem.

There was also an air of confidence to her, something that was in all rose quartzes, Rose seemed to be filled with it, as though she had plans that only she knew and could see.

“R…Rose!” the gem sputtered. “I…I see you reformed.”

“I did,” the gem said, smiling at her. Looking around, Rose noticed that Pearl was the only gem who bothered to greet her. “No Pink Diamond?” she asked.

“I…” Pearl stumbled, before shaking her head. “I regret to inform you that our…our Diamond was needed elsewhere, so she wasn’t able to be here for your arrival.”

“A shame,” replied the quartz, though from her tone and face, it was clear that there was no shame in the slightest. “And it’s just you then?”

“It’s…it’s just me.” Pearl chuckled, nervously. Rose had always made her nervous, more for the fact that she seemed to go out of her way to engage the servant in conversation, but now…now, for whatever reason, her reappearance seemed to throw the gem for a loop. “Erm…” she started, before clearing her throat and trying again.

“Our Diamond would like you to oversee one of the new Kindergartens,” she said. “I’m to show you where it is and then, I must get back to my duties.”

“Of course. But…” Rose leaned forward so she could look at the gem closely. “It doesn’t have to be right away, right?”

“Um…yes, it does?”

Rose moved back, laughing as she did. “Take a walk with me first.”

Any protest by Pearl was overridden with Rose taking her the arm and leading off in the direction of a field of flowers. “Do you remember our last conversation?” the quartz asked, looking around and seemingly breathing in the planet’s air.

“Yes,” Pearl whispered, her face hot in embarrassment.

“And?” Rose questioned, giving her a side glance. “Do you still believe that Pink’s actions are not our concern?”

“I…”

There was that danger again, the inability to think rationally and with the set conditioning all gems possess; Rose had the irritating goal of making one think past their assigned roles, _to think_ , period. That wasn’t what pearls did!

Looking around them quickly, afraid that someone would see or worse, her next confession could be carried on the planet’s air and land right in front of Pink Diamond herself. “I believe in our Diamond’s ideals,” she admitted. “Just not her methods.”

“Oh?”

“She’s…” the pearl began, quietly. “She’s unnecessarily cruel at times and encourages the others to be as well. The creatures here fascinate her, but not in the way you’re…fascinated with them. I’ve seen her order the destruction of creatures for fun. Once, a ruby caught a winged creature, something small that flittered around.

“Pink had her rip the wings off before having the ruby crush it.”

“Needless torture,” Rose murmured. “I’d say I was surprised, but I’m not. Pink Diamond will not stop until there’s nothing left, not unless someone stops her.”

“Rose.”

Pearl pulled the two to a stop and looked at her. “What is this?” she asked. “Why are you here, really?”

“I want to fulfill my purpose,” Rose answered, honestly.

“Somehow I don’t believe that’s true.” Rose just smirked.

“Enlighten me then,” she chuckled. “What do _you_ believe I’m here to do?”

“I…I don’t rightly know,” Pearl said, the very idea causing her to bristle. “But I don’t believe it’s the reason you told our Diamond.”

“ _Our_ Diamond,” Rose repeated. “Is she really?”

Rose was implying something and it made Pearl tense up. “What’re you saying?” she squeaked.

“I’m saying I don’t feel the need to serve Pink Diamond.”

That…was not what Pearl expected to her, though some part of her wasn’t all that surprised. Rose had been different, almost from the start, and her clashes with the other rose quartzes and Pink Diamond herself seemed to cement that. “Is…is there another Diamond that you feel you would be better suited for?”

It was rare, extremely rare, for specifically made gem for one court moved to another; it was rare that it actually, truly never happened. The cases where it did were similar to how Pearl found herself in her current court – the whim of a Diamond. When Pink had been created, the other three had provided her the start of her court – a few military troops from Yellow, a lapis lazuli from Blue, and Pearl herself from White.

However, these were just the building blocks to help build the foundation. Once Pink’s first colony was in full swing, she would be able to have her troops, which she almost did, her own sapphires – one down – and her own pearl, once the one being grown was fully hatched. It was to be assumed that Pearl would go back to White Diamond or, the most likely outcome, be repurposed into something or possibly just discarded due to her imperfections.

What Rose was suggesting was unheard of – no gem willingly left the service of their Diamond to serve another. Military troops, like rubies or amethysts, were spread out across the empire – it was the reason there were so many of them – and some cases, they might come together to provide more support in a battle. But no one did what Rose was proposing.

“There _is_ no Diamond I am suited for,” Rose admitted. “Because I don’t _want_ to serve a Diamond, _any Diamond_ , and especially not one who would subject a planet, it’s inhabitants, and her own subjects to whims of fanciful torture. The line has to be drawn here and no further; if Pink Diamond has her way, there will be nothing left of this planet.”

“Rose,” Pearl asked, her eyes wide in terror and concern. She couldn’t be saying what she thought she was. Was she!? “What’re you saying?”

“I’m saying I’m going to stop her. I’m going to rebel.”


	2. Part II: The Renegade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this, we learn more about the pearl who was in between two Diamonds. Our Pearl does what she can to appease both sides, while trying to wrestle with her own feelings as Rose Quartz confides in her. 
> 
> At the end of the day, Pearl has to choose what's good for the empire or what's good for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I could write that I had an excuse for not updating this, but the truth is, I has no excuse. I mean, RL and shizznits, you know, but I told myself "Self! You are going to sit down and write this chapter!"
> 
> As you can see from the title and the summary, this is all about Pearl. This will run concurrent with the first chapter, tying them together and setting us up for the next chapter. Again, this really totally is a bunch of head canons that most likely won't relate to the latest episodes, BUT as of Gemcation, I decided to incorporate an idea fans have gotten, so if you haven't seen the episode, you may not catch it and if you have, you'll know what it is :)

When pearls are created, their materials and location are hand selected to ensure that the gem matches the precise specifications as ordered by their perspective owners. This means that pearls sometime take a long time to incubate than any other gems, however when done correctly, pearls were the perfect assistant and servant to their masters.

Because of the long incubation and what pearls represented, only those in the highest echelons of gem society were afforded the use of them. They were the ultimate in reward and respect in gem culture – those that were intellectuals or scholars could use their pearls to record important gem information, while those who were leaders and administrators used their pearls to retrieve and fetch things.

Pearls were generally thought to be lower class gems, beings on the very lowest rung of gem society, to the point that they weren’t really _considered_ to be gems; they were ornaments, made to stand around and look pretty, to compliment their owner’s wit or status. They were in essence a decoration that could be paraded around for others to see how important their owner was. And though they could talk, they weren’t truly permitted to unless spoken to first, always observing the golden rule of being seen and not heard.

They were usually in the background and hardly noticed unless needed.

As a pearl, the greatest honor was to be created for your particular gem – there was nothing better than to have been created precisely for your owner and catering to their wishes. You danced and sang when they wanted to be entertained, you fetched whatever information or object they needed from you even if it was in reach of their very own hands, if you were told to shut up, that’s exactly what you did.

Pearls were perfect – they needed to be; if a pearl so much as made a step out of place, there would be a punishment. The punishment all depended on the pearl’s owner, but pearl masters weren’t known for their lenience. At the very least, there could be a reprimand or a threat; at worse, the pearl would wish they had done better. And at the far end, was the destination no pearl ever wanted to face.

Replacement.

Replacement meant your owner had either tired of you, you had messed up too many times to count, or you were defective. Replacement meant being shattered and being repurposed for some other thing; pearl today, a gem controlled cog tomorrow. Everything had a place, and everything performed their roles in that place.

And pearls were always aware of their place.

 

* * *

 

White Diamond was an enigma.

As the oldest gem living and the matriarch of all gem society, the elder Diamond always kept her thoughts to herself when making decisions, but those decisions were always shift and carried out immediately. Though she had established Homeworld as the main hub for the gempire, White could often be found on Onianca 3, a cluster of colonies she had recently conquered and settled into.

She liked to be close to Homeworld, but didn’t feel the need to micromanage the way Yellow did. No, the gem society that was created had learned to be self-sufficient, meaning most gems could go about their duties with little to no supervision; usually. A society is not successful if you just let people go about doing what they want, no, a successful empire is done by making sure your subjects are aware of their place within and that their actions can positively or negatively impact the growth of that society.

White always made this a clear direct – all gems were to be loyal and subservient to their Diamond and all were to love their Diamond. Their work and service was to the court and ultimately to the continuation and expansion of the gempire; this was only achieved when gems knew their place – soldiers were to protect their Diamond and to sacrifice themselves for their Diamond and their society; the gem elites were to learn and share knowledge to further the civilization in order to combat against any enemies that would stop that in the name of the Diamonds; facilitators and administrators were to ensure their subordinates followed every direction and instruction to that same end.

Above all, gems were encouraged to report behavior that was counter to this, least these malcontents destroy everything they were working towards. Gems were also pitted against each other – there were no friends among gems, only competition to proving their worth to their Diamond. Military gems – like jaspers, rubies, amethysts – were created to fight and fight they did, mostly against their foes but occasionally against each other.

Lazy gems didn’t get pearls or status – only the strong and wise moved up in the ranks and only those who were willing to do anything got noticed by the Diamonds.

White Diamond was known for her detailed and thoughtful decision making when it came to furthering their society and nowhere was it was more apparent than with the members of her court. The court of White Diamond held the rarest of gems, as well as the highest of the elites – White of course made sure that the purest and most sacred of gems were at her disposal. While Yellow was the military commander, White had the strongest of warriors under her; while Blue was the diplomat, White held the most sapphires within her court.

But most of her attention to detail went into her pearls. For the millennia the matriarch had been around, she had gone through a multitude of pearls – in some cases, they just lasted past their prime, in others, she had them shattered and repurposed outright due to their incompetence. Any pearl crafted for White Diamond was the epitome of perfection, even if she was still just a pearl.

Recently, White Diamond had been presented with a new pearl, one to replace the old one that had obviously been defective and had needed to be replaced. But what was surprising about this pearl was firstly, White needing to replace a pearl in such a short order of time – it had only been a few decades – and second, this pearl was _also_ defective. Instead of the perfect circle of a gem that adorned its head, the gem had come out lopsided, becoming an oval instead of a circle.

At any other time, White would’ve told her agates to destroy it and create a new one, but their leader didn’t have time for that. There was a new planet within their star system that she wanted to take as part of their empire and she would need someone at her side to help direct the process.

There was also the fact that Pink Diamond was about to colonize her first planet and there was something…off about the youngest Diamond that the elder wanted to have someone look in on her. She had consulted her sapphires on the matter and while none of them sensed anything, they had raised concerns about letting the youngest take a planet at such an age. Pink was actually _older_ than either Yellow or Blue when they liberated their first colony and it was well past the time they started expanding again.

But sapphires weren’t there to be ignored. If they held concerns, they needed to be looked into. For now, White thought it appropriate to keep the young Diamond under watch to the best of her ability. Once Pink proved her merit, White could move on to other things.

That was part of the reason she kept the defective pearl. And she was glad she had. The pearl was very eager to please, right off from the start, but ultimately, it was her stalwart attention to detail and ability to learn quickly that made White keep her. It was a decision that, at the time, seemed like a good omen.

This pearl would play an instrumental role in Pink Diamond’s first colony and would ultimately be the last pearl White Diamond would ever have.

 

* * *

 

“Pearl.”

White Pearl looked up from her place beside her Diamond. She was still a relatively young pearl, only a few hundred years old compared to her betters that were a thousand years old. But what Pearl lacked in age, she more than made up for in drive and that was something her Diamond appreciated in her.

It was the dawning of a new era. Pink Diamond after hundreds of years studying the art of dividing and conquering under her elder compatriots, was finally being put in charge of her own colony. New colonization was always cause for celebration, probably the only time gems were truly allowed to cavort and socialize outside of their designated roles – well, all except for pearls of course and even while celebrating, lines were still drawn in the sand.

Gems might be able to mingle, but they all knew their places. Rubies could joke with each other or with amethysts, but they wouldn’t dare to do so with a sapphire, for instance.

White Pearl, for her part, had been a constant companion to her Diamond since emerging from the salt mines on Criton, a nearby planet close to Homeworld and one of White Diamond’s colonies and she was deeply grateful for the opportunity. Pearl was well aware of her limitations – she was defective after all, not having the perfect circle that her Diamond had – and that was why she worked so hard to be in her Diamond’s favor and wouldn’t pass up the chance to prove her worth.

Even if it meant what she had to do next.

“Pearl.”

“Yes, my Diamond?”

“I have a task for you,” White replied. They were within her private chamber on Homeworld, a place designated just for her – the walls were a glossy white, with a light gray trim bordering the ceiling and floor, which was also white. The throne of any Diamond was several feet high, but White’s was more elaborate than her junior counterparts, showcasing just who the true ruler of the gems was.

White had been reading some reports for her other colonies and she was just starting on the ones that her pearl had gathered for her – the ones that were about the _other_ colonies, those that were in the hands of Yellow and Blue. Despite her defect, the ability to blend in as a pearl was a perfect cover for when White wanted to know the situation on a certain planet or just a friendly catch up with the colonies that were the foundation of the gempire.

Pearl always had an escort of course, usually a hematite, but sometimes a ruby or an actual jasper and their presence mostly went unnoticed, which was how White liked it; only if they were ever questioned would they have to answer that they were a part of White Diamond’s court, but that was rare, such as when they were trying to get to restricted areas. The subterfuge worked well, especially when being utilized by a pearl, and that’s why White had this very important mission for her.

“As you know,” White continued. “Pink Diamond is about to start her own colony. How do you feel about that?”

“It’s…it’s wonderful news, of course, my Diamond,” Pearl stuttered. “Another colony will just continue to enhance our growing empire.”

“Indeed it will,” White nodded, sending the servant a small smile. “And it’s imperative that we make sure of that. I have reason to believe that Pink might be a little ahead of herself, but I’m sure with the right guidance, she’ll be able to create a long-lasting colony of this planet.”

“Absolutely!” Pearl cried, before quieting down and giving the Diamond salute. “My Diamond, forgive my excitement.”

White waved her off. “It’s natural to be happy, my Pearl,” she said. “And I’m glad this gives you such an excitement. It helps makes my decision even easier. As I said, I have a task for you and one that you know quite well.” Pearl looked at her strangely, curious as to what this task could possibly be.

“For a number of years now, I’ve had you visit some of our colonies in my stead,” White continued. “Your ability to gather intelligence, as well as your attention to detail has not gone unnoticed by me; in fact, it’s one of the reasons I want you to do this.”

“I…of course,” Pearl stumbled. “Anything for you, my Diamond. Just ask and I’ll perform my duty to the highest standard, in your name and the name of the Diamonds.”

“Good,” White said, smiling. “Soon, Pink and her court will be going to the planet of Earth, the site of her new colony and I want you to go with them.”

“I…I don’t understand. Have I done something to displease you?”

“On the contrary, Pearl,” the Diamond corrected. “It’s _because_ of your service that I want you there. Pink’s own pearl has only just been created and it will take some time before she’ll emerge, but that means Pink will only be surrounded with Yellow’s military forces and those new rose quartzes she’s created.

“No one will be there to help guide her. I also want to make sure she stays on task; she is young, after all, and the young have a tendency to get carried away with things, forgetting their purpose. I don’t want Pink to forget her purpose while she’s alone on a new planet, with newly created gems with her.

“That’s why I need you, Pearl,” the Diamond whispered, holding out her hand for the gem to step into. White brought her closer so they were nearly nose to nose, though there was enough distance between them that the air wouldn’t suddenly knock the small gem over. “I have other duties, other gems to watch, so I can’t be there for Pink the way I want to be.

“But you, Pearl…you can be my eyes and ears. Do you understand what I’m asking?”

Pearl nodded slowly. “I…I believe so,” she whispered. “You…you want me to spy on Pink Diamond to ensure that…well, that the construction of her colony goes smoothly.”

“Oh my dear Pearl,” White chuckled, smiling fondly at the gem. “Not ‘spy’, _oversee_ the operation, make sure it goes to plan and that Pink isn’t being taken advantage of by these new gems she was so eager to produce. You will, of course, report back to me _any_ and _all_ events that might hinder this new colony.”

“Of course…my Diamond,” Pearl said, clearing her throat.

The request shouldn’t have been out of the realm of what she was used to; wasn’t her trips to the colonies considered spying? No, not _spying_ , checking up on – she was White Diamond, after all, and she needed to be aware of what was happening with her empire; but as great as she was, she couldn’t be in several places at one time, that was only possible by using time magic and there had been consequences when doing that.

So that meant it was up to her pearl to, as White said, be the eyes and ears of the gem matriarch and it was an incredible honor, especially to one such as her. Not that Pearl would ever refuse! That just wasn’t done and if it had been, there was no one left to verify it and those in attendance learned the lesson of never doing it again.

And that’s how White Diamond’s pearl found herself the pearl to Pink Diamond and how she become a somewhat temporary member of Pink’s court. It should’ve been a simple mission – report back to White on the progress on the colony and once Pink’s true pearl emerged, Pearl would hopefully go back to White – having proved her loyalty and allegiance – and gem society would continue on.

However, within Pink’s colony was a new strain of quartz – rose quartzes, to be exact – and Pearl would not only end up meeting these quartz, but would manage to spend some time with one in particular.

Rose Quartz, Facet 1C2F, Cut 9FH.

 

* * *

 

Everything was set.

The court of Pink Diamond was headed to the planet of Earth. It had taken decades, several at that, but they had finally gotten things in order to further the process of colonization. On board were the gems of Pink Diamond’s court – soldiers consisting of rubies, jaspers, and amethysts; a batch of the new rose quartz gems Pink had created; a handful of bismuths to construct new architectures and kindergarten; a lapis lazuli to conduct the terraforming; a sapphire to predict the outcomes of events; and her – White Diamond’s former pearl, now the pearl to Pink Diamond.

The first landing on Earth was a rather quiet one – the lead ship landed in some sort of grassland, startling a group of strange creatures that quickly scurried away due to the commotion. Several of the rubies and amethysts rushed out to scan the area, fending off predators before their Diamond stepped a foot on the planet’s surface. For everyone involved, this planet was strange – the ground seemed to constantly change from solid to liquid, green to brown to blue, and the strange creatures around were either terrified or thought they could take on these different colored walkers.

After defeating many of these creatures, the soldiers sent word that the area had been cleared and was secure for their Diamond to land. Pink Diamond and her entourage landed in a large metal ship, with her own jaspers and rose quartz soldiers walking out of the ship; behind them emerged Pink’s palanquin, a large transport hub that sat on four animatronic legs. Inside this carriage was Pink Diamond, sitting confidently in her throne.

Pearl stood to the left of the Diamond with the transport, looking at the webbed sides as they made their way across the ground. This planet was strange, to say the least, and it was filling the servant with a growing amount of trepidation. Taking a step closer to her new Diamond, she whispered nervously, “My Diamond, are you sure this planet is…safe?”

Pink gave Pearl a glance, causing her to shrink away in embarrassment. “Sapphire?” she asked.

“I see no threats, My Diamond,” the sapphire replied. “There are more strange creatures, like the two-legged ones Aquamarine reported, but nothing our soldiers can’t handle. I foresee a great colony.”

Pearl was sure the sapphire was saying what Pink wanted to hear, but then again, sapphires were known for their precognition, hence why there was at least one in every court.

“You see, Pearl,” the Diamond replied, turning back to her. “There’s nothing to fear. If there was, our sapphire would see it. It is a strange land, I will give you that, but soon what you see will be replaced with tall spires, temple buildings, and all of my gems. Doesn’t that sound nice?”

Of course it sounded nice, but that wasn’t what worried Pearl. This planet was new, but not as exciting as some of the places she had been too and that were currently occupied by gem forces. There were strange creatures here, the landscape was all wrong, and even the sky didn’t seem normal to her. No wonder her Diamond had wanted her to come along.

“Yes…yes, of course, My Diamond,” she stuttered, not only remembering her place, but her very duty. “My apologies for being so frightened.”

“You needn’t apologize,” the larger being said. “I was a little frightened myself, but now that we’re here, now that I see this place, I only feel excitement. This will be a great colony, one that will rival all the others. Nothing could possibly go wrong.”

Pearl just nodded in agreement. She hoped nothing would go wrong. Her very life was staked on it.

The transport continued to follow the troops on the ground, allowing Pink and those inside her palanquin to observe the scenery around them. It was certainly different from Homeworld or any other colony the gems had been on – while Homeworld was bathed in the colors of the Diamonds, mixing their uniqueness together, the planet Earth had more colors surrounding it in one area than the gems had on their entire home world.

It was as astonishing as it was uncomfortable. As they continued, they could hear the sounds of the soldiers fighting off creatures ahead, protecting their Diamond from the menaces of the planet. That was the other thing – the…creatures here. Where as there many types of gems, they were all inherently the same – jaspers were big and strong, amethysts liked being in groups, rubies were emotional wild cards at times, sapphires were quiet and calm, and pearls were meek.

The creatures on Earth…well…there were just so many! And seemingly of different species and coloration. There were small ones that ran on four legs, ones that flew in the air and had no knowledge or appreciation of ‘personal space’, larger ones that also roamed on four legs – some were frightened off by the approaching entourage, others were aggressive and tried to attack.

“It’s all so very strange, isn’t it?”

Both Pearl and Pink Sapphire turned to look at their Diamond. “This planet,” she continued. “So many…things here. And we haven’t even these two legged creatures yet.”

“My Diamond,” Pearl hedged, afraid she might offend the leader. “With so many aspects of danger, why was _this_ planet chosen for your first colony? Wouldn’t it have been better to find…?”

“The resources, Pearl,” Pink replied, sending her a look. “This planet is teaming with resources that we’ve had to spread across countless colonies to achieve. Oxygen, iron, sulfur, magnesium…all of the requirements needed to expanded our empire and more. It took the others millennia to find planets that contained even one ounce of these and I managed to get the one planet that has them all in _spades_.

“I think the reasons are very clear. Unless you don’t believe I should be running this colony?”

“Of course not!” Pearl exclaimed. The last thing she wanted to do was make Pink believe she dismissed her abilities. “My deepest apologies, my Diamond,” she said, bowing in embarrassment. “I never meant to imply that I think less of your abilities as a Diamond and leader. My only concern is this strange planet and the danger you might be in.”

“Your fear is unwarranted,” the sapphire replied. “I see no dangers befalling us or our Diamond. As I said, this will be a glorious colony in the name of the gem empire.”

Pearl nodded, although reluctantly. “Of course,” she whispered.

“Do not fret, little one,” Pink responded. “I know White hardly let you off her leash, so being on a new world might be frightening at first. But once the bismuths get to work, this planet will start to take on beautiful spires, large temples, and grand kindergartens. It’ll feel just like home in no time.”

Peal again nodded, her fear only lessened when she thought about the lovely spires she was more familiar with. White Diamond always tried to make an appearance when a colony had been completed, to show unity between the Diamonds and bringing together gems from every court. Oh, those celebrations were so lovely – crystal fountains, beautiful court music, pearl dancers…well, the last one was a bit uncomfortable, but they were very talented.

The trepidation inside her began to fade slightly, the image of a great colony calming her. She was worried for nothing; it might even turn out her job would be even easier than she imagined.

 

* * *

 

Pearl was unable to get out a communication to her true Diamond later. It was mostly due to wanting to stay next to Pink as they traversed this odd landscape, but also because the group was startled the sky darkening until it was dark, with only stars hanging in the sky. The court was quite afraid that perhaps another threat was upon them, an invisible foe they hadn’t encountered before.

Everyone had been on alert, just waiting for an incoming attack. Pink stayed within her palanquin, her sapphire next to her and trying to see what the danger could be or when it would pass. Pearl had stood at the entry way, her eyes nervously darting back and forth across the scene before her – a number of jaspers and amethysts were already spread out and around their Diamond; they had sent the rubies out to check the area and were listening carefully to hear if anything would approach.

Lined at the very front of the palanquin were the rose quartzes. Not all of them, as others had also gone out with the rubies, if just to make sure they didn’t light the entire planet on fire in their quest to defeat a foe in the name of the Diamonds. There was already an early incident when a ruby tried to stop one of the flying creatures and managed to burn one of the tall, brown and green structures that seemed to crop up every now and then.

Thankfully, they had been able to put it out – the blueish, liquid pools seemed to contain material to put out fire – and that ruby would never again make a mistake like that; Pink quickly had her shattered for her carelessness, in front of everyone, providing a very worthy example of why they needed to be wary of their surroundings.

It was here, in what they would later learn was night on the planet, that White Diamond’s Pearl would meet the rose quartz designated Cut 9FH. Rose had just happened to pick the position that placed her outside and the left of the palanquin’s archway, which put her directly next to Pearl, who stood inside the doorway.

“It’s lovely, isn’t it?”

“What?”

Tilting her head upwards, the quartz gave a quick look at the pearl behind her. “The sky. It’s lovely.”

“How can you say that?” Pearl hissed, nervously glancing over her shoulder. This was completely inappropriate and a breach of protocol – most gems never bothered to speak to a pearl, unless there was an order or insult and here was this quartz trying to make conversation with her. If Pink was watching or worse, _listening_ …

“You don’t think so?” Rose asked. Looking back to the sky, the gem smiled slightly. “It’s interesting. And there are so many stars here! And they’re not even in the same position as the ones you can see from Homeworld.”

“What are you doing?” Pearl whispered, frantically. “We could potentially be in danger and you’re…waxing poetically about…stars?!?”

“Pearl?”

“Yes!” Pearl cried, spinning around in order to face her Diamond, who had spoken. Unfortunately, she spun too fast and managed to fall out of the palanquin; however, instead of completing her humiliation by landing on the ground and seeing the structure and the others looking down at her, she only saw one face.

That of 9FH.

“Hello,” she said, smiling down at her.

Pearl let out an undignified giggle and felt her face heat up. With none of her dignity left, she struggled to untangle herself from the quartz, just in time to see Pink and her sapphire poking their heads out of the doorway.

“Are you alright?” the leader asked.

“Yes! Yes…I’m…” Pearl smoothed out her skirt, trying her best not to grip it in nervousness. Her hands were shaking and she immediately put them behind her back and stood straight to address her Diamond.

“Forgive me, my Diamond.” Pearl’s head twisted to watch the rose quartz suddenly stand next to her, her head lowered in acquiescence. “I distracted your pearl, causing her reaction. I was only trying to reassure her that we were safe and protected.”

“So there’s no threat?” Pink asked, looking around.

“None that we can see, My Diamond.”

“I also cannot see any threat that will come upon us,” Sapphire replied. “I believe this strange darkness is a part of the planet.”

“The planet is causing this?” asked Pearl. She caught herself immediately and lowered her head in shame. Such a reaction in front of a quartz and worse, a Diamond! Only a short time away from her own Diamond and already Pearl was making a spectacular fool of herself.

Sapphire nodded. “I foresaw this as being a natural part of the planet’s cycle,” she replied. “I see no danger to be expected at this time.”

Pink nodded her understanding. “I adhere to your reasoning, Sapphire,” the Diamond said. “9FH, please call back the others; there’s no reason to waste their energy chasing shadows.”

“Yes, my Diamond,” the gem said, nodding. “Might I suggest we do keep a small contingent of soldiers to patrol the area? There might not be any danger now, but who knows how long this darkness will last?”

Pink smiled widely. This was why she had created these gems – strong, as they were smart. Nodding, she said, “See it done, 9FH. Put some of the quartzes in that, along with a jasper or amethyst and just _one_ ruby. I don’t want to destroy my colony before I’ve ever started building it.”

“Understood, my Diamond.”

“Pearl, when you’re ready, you may come back inside.”

“Yes, my Diamond.”

Both gems gave the Diamond salute as the monarch and her seer went back inside, with Pearl taking a few steps towards the entrance. She stopped however, to glance back at the quartz. “Thank you,” she whispered. She turned quickly and rushed inside, but she was able to hear the “you’re welcome” that came from behind her.

 

* * *

 

“My Diamond.”

“Report.”

“Forgive me for my lateness. This has been the only moment in which I could spare to speak.”

“I take it things are progressing the way they should?”

“As far as things go, yes.”

One slim eyebrow rose. “Is there a problem?”

“No! No, no, of course not! Every…everything is on track, just the way it should be.”

“Do not lie to me, Pearl.”

“I…I’m sorry. Forgive me, my Diamond, it’s not that I’m hiding anything from you, I just…it’s the planet.”

“And what about the planet?”

“It frightens me. It’s…just very strange. It’s…it’s not at all like Homeworld or the other colonies.”

A pause in the conversation.

“You tend to worry too much, my Pearl. I know this is something very new to you, but I assigned you to this mission because I trust only you to fulfill it.”

“Yes, my Diamond.”

“Do anyone suspect?”

A shake of the head. “I don’t believe so. Not even Pink’s sapphire knows where I am.”

“Good. And of course, you know not to speak of this to anyone.”

“Of course, my Diamond.”

A nod. “Carry on then. I have faith that you will not let me down.”

 

* * *

 

The first week on the planet Earth was spent trying to find a suitable location to create the very first kindergarten. Kindergartens were the main incubation bays for the majority of gems – only pearls and Diamonds were grown in a completely different way and form. Of course, kindergartens were just one facility that would need to be built; this was an up and coming gem colony, so there needed to be grand architectures and infrastructures.

As most colonies, the planet was divided in different sections, called facets. This was how gems identified not only buildings and structures, but each other. When presenting oneself, every gem – with the exception of the Diamonds – stated the location of their facet, followed by their cut number – essentially, the order in which they emerged from their exit hole.

When the planet had first been survey, a tentative plan was created, outlining the various structures that would be built on the planet and possible timeframe for their construction. This was standard procedure and once touchdown had occurred on the planet, those plans could shrink or expand once boots were on the ground to physically survey and without the distraction of the former species.

Ordinarily, construction would start as soon as the previous species were dealt with and cleaned off so the bismuths could get to work. Unfortunately, because Pink didn’t want to be rid of the current creatures on the planet, trying to find suitable locations was proving to be difficult because there were creatures everywhere. What should have been a bigger problem for any other Diamond, Pink found to be an opportunity to use these creatures.

It was around this time several agendas began to merge together, circling around each other until the eventual moment they crashed together.

And Pearl found herself right in the middle of it.

It started almost immediately after that first night, when the rose quartz had caught her after she had fallen out of the palanquin. Since then, the quartz had almost gone out of her way to speak to the pearl. 9FH, as Pearl would learn, had inadvertently made herself an intermediary between her Diamond and that of the two-legged creatures that stuck near certain areas.

Rose had become friendly with these creatures, even going so far as to spend time with them, far more than what her actual function and purpose was. The other rose quartzes barely managed to tolerate the strange creatures, only making sure they hadn’t hurt themselves too much and that the jaspers and amethysts didn’t mess them. 9FH however – she went out of her way to socialize with the beings, often earning her looks of disgrace from the other gems.

One of those gems was Pearl herself, though she tried to school her features as to not upset the larger gem. Just as Rose went out of her way to socialize with the strange inhabitants of the planet, so too did she feel the same about trying to speak with Pearl. It was slight at first, a simple hello or small start in conversation whenever she saw the thin gem and Pearl would be lying if she said her feelings weren’t conflicted.

On one hand, it was…nice to be spoken to as though she wasn’t a complete clod. Other than her Diamond, most gems regarded her – regarded _pearls_ in general – as being, more beauty than brains, more looks than actual intelligence, but what those gems didn’t understand was that pearls needed to be intelligent in order to deal with the…well, sometimes _incompetence_ of those that owned them.

Rose seemed to understand that, in fact, she often encouraged Pearl to speak her mind on things that bothered or troubled her, even when they knew that if they were overheard, it would be the end of them both.

On the other hand…on the other hand, the way the two carried about, the way _Rose_ carried about, was unbecoming for a gem. Gems were the superior race for a reason – they were disciplined, orderly, precise…they were the epitome of the perfect beings. Every colony they created was for the purpose of expanding their empire. The lands they invaded, the inhabitants they destroyed were all for the expansion of their greatness.

The greater good.

And to preserve that greater good, roles had to be followed; those roles were put in place for a reason. The Diamonds were their leaders, pearls were their servants, and everyone in between had their parts to play and when those parts weren’t played, there could be more consequences than just being poofed.

Rose Quartz, cut 9FH, didn’t seem to care though. She seemed to go through her life as though the roles weren’t designed for her or rather, that she didn’t _care_ about the role that was designed for her. That was troubling in itself, but the way she was…cavorting with these creatures, as though they were more important than her own kind. Pearl just couldn’t understand.

“I don’t understand,” she said, repeated rather, because that seemed to be the most common statement she had whenever she spoke to Rose.

In the passing months and years that they had occupied the planet, Rose and Pearl had been bolder in their conversations, with Rose often taking the servant aside and showing her various locations around the planet, taking her to meet some of the…local inhabitants, explaining the different things they did or didn’t do.

Pearl knew she was doing so in order to make her understand what was so fascinating about these creatures, why she felt more of a kinship with them than her own gem type. But Pearl _didn’t_ understand. And it had become a running theme for most of their conversations, with Rose explaining something and Pearl at a loss for words.

“What don’t you understand?” Rose asked. She had taken them to an area full of…well, green, strands that came from the ground and large sticks that stood in the air. The invention of the warp pads were still relatively new invention, if you considered a few centuries as new, but for many gems, this was the height of intergalactic travel.

The two were supposed to be traveling to the location of a new kindergarten, accompanied with a lone ruby escort, Rose was able to grab Pearl and ditch the smaller gem for parts unknown; even when they arrived, Rose wasn’t exactly sure where they were, only that she had heard it was a nice place from one of her village people. Rose had been in the midst of telling Pearl about some story that happened in some village or colony or what have you with the two-legs when Pearl stopped her.

“I don’t understand,” she said, her tone revealing just how exasperated she was.

Rose smirked at her, causing Pearl’s cheeks to darken in a bluish hue; what was it about speaking with Rose that made her so…nervous and unsure sometimes? “What don’t you understand?”

“Any of it!” Pearl exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. “All of it! Why are you so interested in this planet?”

“Look around you,” Rose replied, waving a hand around. “Look at this place, Pearl! It’s so lovely and wonderful! It’s unlike any planet I’ve ever been on!”

Pearl wisely kept the thought that Rose hadn’t really seen or been on another planet besides this one.

“And the creatures here,” she continued. “They aren’t anything like us. Their only purpose is to _survive_ and thrive, with just the things around them and…”

“It’s just…” Pearl began, still not understanding what Rose’s deal was. “It’s just a useless rock that stands in the way of our Diamond’s future and glorious colony. This planet is full of hideous beasts and strange colored…things growing from the ground…”

“Plants.”

“What?”

Rose laughed, something that was light and airy, even with her deeper tone. “They’re called plants, Pearl,” she repeated. “And flowers. Look at how many colors there are! Aren’t they beautiful?”

Pearl looked around, seeing the many colors that covered the land. It was mostly greens and browns, but there were other colors too – blues, reds, purples – yes, the colors were very nice, however they had these same colors, in the gems that Rose should’ve been thinking about. In the structures that set their society apart from inferior ones.

“Can I show you something?”

The question so startled Pearl from her thoughts, she could only look at Rose in confusion. No one ever wanted to show a pearl something, at least nothing that wouldn’t hurt them; the servant knew the quartz wouldn’t hurt her, she didn’t think so anyway and that’s why she nodded slowly. She watched as Rose bent down and touched one of these flowers, a yellow one that Rose had pointed out earlier. It was only a light touch, nothing as harsh as Pearl would’ve expected from a quartz or any of the soldier class gems.

But Rose had so far proven that she wasn’t like the others; she was much softer, kinder, gentler, just…more.

Nothing happened at first. There wasn’t a splash of light or a noise that indicated Rose had done anything but, well, pet the thing growing from the ground and Pearl was beginning to suspect that maybe there was something…defective with the quartz. It was a thought that she kept in the back of her mind, not wanting to offend her and certainly, if anyone knew the stigma of being defective, it was Pearl.

When Rose began speaking to it, that’s when Pearl decided she would spring into action. Rose had to be defective or at least, something was happening to the point where she seriously concerned. It was her duty to turn in any gem that was functioning outside of their role, something that caused distracted from the overall goal of expanding their empire.

But a part of her just couldn’t do that. Rose had been so nice to her, had spoken to her as though…as though she were an equal. There was never any malice in her voice and Rose never raised her hand in anger towards her – if anything, her actions had always shown…caring. For her. For a _pearl_.

That’s what held her thoughts and tongue as she watched the quartz speak to what was, essentially, a colorful weed or fungus that grew from the ground. That is, until Pearl saw the thing _move_. It wasn’t as though the flower stood up and walked around, but it was clear that its movement wasn’t being caused by wind or the air they stood in.

The flower was leaning forward, almost as though it was trying to garner affection from the quartz, who was more than happy to pat it on its ‘head’. Rose looked up at her, grinning widely, and her eyes bright and starry eyed.

Pearl was speechless. “How did you do that?” she whispered.

“I don’t know,” the quartz shrugged, looking down at the little thing, who was pushing against her finger as she continued to stroke its petals. “I discovered I could do it a few days ago when I was leaving the village. Loras was telling me about how they can use the plants and flowers to heal their wounds and injuries. It was quite fascinating.”

Rose then launched into another glorious endorsement of the two-legged creatures, but Pearl had stopped listening. This was…disturbing. Could other rose quartzes do this? Who in the stars was Loras? What village? This wasn’t the first time she had heard Rose go on and on about the two-legged creatures, by far the most disgusting they had encountered on this planet. They could barely speak in complete sentences, if they even knew or understood language in the first place.

Pearl hadn’t seen many of them, but Rose had taken her to a few areas and the servant had deemed her interaction with them would only be left to those occurrences. They had strange rituals, like putting things in their mouths – eating, was what Rose told her – and then expelling the waste from the other end. They were crass and utterly inferior; if there was ever a species that were determined to be subjugated and removed in order to make way for a more intelligent and superior species, it was these creatures.

Pearl hated them and she hated that Rose was so enamored with them. And Rose was just _one_ of the headaches the thinner gem had to deal it.

 

* * *

 

Rose Quartz’s fascination with the two-legged creatures on the planet was nothing compared to the ongoing obsession that had afflicted Pink Diamond. Unlike Rose, Pink wasn’t going around to ‘villages’ or even speaking with the two-legs, but she was just as interested in them as Rose was. Pink had made her intentions on the creatures known on that second day on the planet, after the sky returned to it’s strange, bright blue coloring.

The creation of the rose quartz gems were to protect these creatures from harm, harm that – unspoken – was to come from the other Diamonds and their courts. Pink made a big deal about how her ideals for this planet would truly be a new era in gem kind and that she would only be able to achieve it with her chosen court and the use of these Earth creatures.

As Pink’s pearl, the thinner gem was privy to the inner knowledge and workings of the Diamond’s court and if Pearl thought Rose’s admiration with these two-legged creatures was odd, than Pink’s was downright _obsessive_. The longer they stayed on the planet, the more Pink become enraptured with the native population. It was academic, as the Diamond stated to the servant, as she wanted to use and preserve these creatures. The idea was to replace pearls, so that these creatures would take over their duties, at least those of servant duties.

Despite the obvious implications, Pink tried to comfort Pearl, stating that the gem class wouldn’t disappear; after all, who would serve the Diamonds if pearls were completely obsolete? Who would entertain them if not for pearls? It was supposed to be uplifting, instead Pearl felt even more insulted than if Pink had just stated the two-legs were replacing pearls period. But Pink couldn’t just put in two-legs without knowing what they were capable of.

Oh, she had heard the gushing reports from Rose, and try as she might, the quartz couldn’t stop the excitement that came from her voice when speaking about the strange beings. As Rose went on about how they used the land and other, larger creatures, the quartz was essentially revealing the strengths and weaknesses of the natives. From what her quartz was saying, the beings seemed smart enough to keep themselves alive, meaning they had some latent intelligence that she may have missed upon first hearing about them.

So, wanting to learn more about these creatures, Pink directed her jaspers, amethysts, and even other rose quartzes to start rounding up various humans for…testing. They were standard tests, well standard for gems, which was the problem; these creatures were meeker and fleshier than gems, something that gems had never encountered before. However, it was the growing body count that was starting to concern the Diamond and not the fact that she was obviously hurting the very creatures she had created gems to protect.

That’s when Pink had Pearl contact one of White Diamond’s agate, who usually oversaw all construction that took place on both Homeworld and their other colonies. Though there were already bismuths on the planet, helping to construct various structures and kindergartens, Pearl made the request for several more. Once the request had been approved, the assumption that they were for building more structures on Earth.

However, that wasn’t their purpose.

“My Diamond?”

“Hmmm?”

Pearl was looking over the most recent directions for the bismuths – the construction of a facility, however the facility wouldn’t be on Earth, but somewhere deep in space. “I have a question on these construction plans,” the servant replied, looking over the blueprints. This wasn’t the first time Pearl had seen construction plans, however what Pink and most likely White, weren’t aware of was that the thinner gem had begun to study plans, slowly and quietly learning the different degrees of measurements and dimensions of materials.

It was her best kept secret, something she only tended to skim quickly before putting in the order. Pearl always kept this ability and interest of hers to herself, however today the surprise at seeing these plans caused her to make a mistake. “These plans seem to be a facility that’s no where near this planet,” she began. “In fact, the location seems further than even our main colonies within the Crystal System.”

The look Pink gave the servant could easily be described as flat, however the look in her eyes sent the clear message that she didn’t appreciate Pearl’s insight into the matter. Instead of answering the question, Pink posed one of her own. “Pearl, remind me again what your purpose is?”

Pearl shrank back, knowing immediately that she had overstepped her means and the fact that she hadn’t been poofed or shattered meant that either Pink was toying with her or she wanted to remind the pearl of her place.

“I am to assist you as we begin to build this new colony in your name and the name of the Diamond Authority,” Pearl responded, dutifully.

“No, dear,” Pink replied, her stare never leaving the gem’s form. “I meant, remind me the purpose of _pearls_.”

Pearl couldn’t stop the embarrassed blush that crested across her face. “They…” she stumbled, before clearing her throat. Bowing her head, she continued with, “Pearls are created for following orders or as accessories to be displayed as a symbol of status. Our purpose is to perform menial tasks for our owners, to the best of our abilities.”

“Best?”

“The height, my Diamond,” Pearl corrected. “Forgive me for my impertinence.”

“You are to make it up to me by just carrying out the task I have set before you,” Pink commanded. “I hope you aren’t so…free with your comments to White as you are to me.”

“No, my Diamond.”

“Because I would hate to alert her to your…defectiveness.”

Pearl simply nodded, the comment hitting right to her core. She had never questioned an order from her Diamond before and here she was, questioning the location of a facility. It wasn’t her job to do so, her job was to just make sure that the work was done and that her Diamond was happy. A traitorous voice in the back of her mind spoke of Rose’s influence, how the quartz’ own disregard of protocol was seeping its way into Pearl’s own psyche.

There wasn’t a day that went by that _someone_ didn’t mention the obvious defect that was her gem. Slightly off by a few centimeters meant that she didn’t have the perfect circle that the other Diamond pearls had and the fact that she managed to avoid repurposing. Her very survival was something of an enigma and when someone met her, it was the first thing they noticed.

Needless to say, Pearl was very aware that any moment could truly be her last if any one, from a jasper to her Diamond, wished it.

Properly chastised, Pearl went about her duties and sent the requested bismuths to the location that Pink had marked, where the crew set about creating what would be known as the Human Zoo. Pearl wouldn’t see the structure herself until the young leader would take her and a then equally confused Rose Quartz to the facility itself after the…incident in the village.

That…that had begun to change Pearl’s mind about things. Millennia later, as a full-fledged founding member of the Crystal Gems, Pearl would dedicate her life to protecting the planet Earth and its inhabitants; however, up until situations and circumstances that would happen, Pearl still believed gems to be the superior species. There were just things that humans couldn’t do that gems could, a specific hold over from years of Homeworld indoctrination that hadn’t left her completely.

Even Garnet, who had truly come alive on Earth rather than Homeworld, also held some of those beliefs, thanks to the combined years of her components.

But that’s another story.

The day Pearl watched Pink Diamond poof a tiny two-leg – a baby they would come to learn later – was the turning point for everything. Even those in her own entourage were stunned by the action, though none of them were about to say anything against it, least they join the tiny being. It was the first time Pearl had seen that these creatures were not like gems.

Too stunned to immediately follow, Pearl watched as Pink tipped her and rid herself of the small thing, its body falling lifeless to the ground they stood on. This wasn’t poofing, as there was no gem stone left and this wasn’t truly shattering, as the body was still intact, but from the wails of its caretaker, this _was_ death. And it was unlike anything Pearl had ever seen before.

Unfortunately, this would not be the last time the servant would see human death, but it would be the push she needed to start seeing the true machinations behind Pink Diamond’s actions and decisions.

 

* * *

 

“Pearl.”

“My Diamond.”

“You’ve been rather late on your correspondence to me.”

“I know and I…I apologize. Things have been…busy.”

“Busy?”

“With the colonization, of course. I’ve…I’ve been trying to assist as much as I can.”

“Of course. But we must keep up a schedule, Pearl. How am I supposed to guide you if you aren’t contacting me?”

“Yes, of course. My apologies.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes.”

“Are you sure?”

White Diamond had the uncanny ability to know when a gem was lying to her. The consequences for lying were always dire, which was probably why no one ever dared to try and lie to her face.

“I…” As the pearl of a Diamond, especially this one, the servant was well aware that even if she could dismiss the accusation, there was no way to avoid the truth. “I’m concerned about Pink Diamond.”

“Oh?”

“She’s…she’s become obsessed with the creatures on the planet,” Pearl blurted. “She’s created some facility out in space, where she takes the two-legged creatures. I don’t know what she does with them, but…but it’s not exactly pleasant.”

White hummed. “And what is the meaning of this?”

“Pink wants to use the creatures to replace pearls,” she whispered. “She…she believes they could take over the menial tasks, while pearls could fully be used as…as status symbols or entertainment.”

“So Pink wants to incorporate these creatures into our society?”

“Yes, my Diamond.”

White was silent for a moment before saying, “Thank you for your report, Pearl. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you in a more…specific time frame.”

“Of course. I will double my efforts to report in a more timely manner, my Diamond.”

“Do not fail me again, Pearl.”

“I won’t, my Diamond.”

 

* * *

 

Five years.

Five years had passed since Pearl had seen Rose Quartz 9FH and their farewell had not been pleasant.

Just after the incident with the tiny two-legged being crushed in the massive hand of Pink Diamond, Pink had escorted both Rose and Pearl to her palanquin before it headed towards her personal ship and the trio headed to the deep space station that Pearl had personally put through. This was the first time she had seen the actual constructed facility, the station that would be known as the Human Zoo. That visit changed everything – Rose finally saw what Pink was doing to the two-legged creatures and Pearl was left with a choice. Watching as Rose was poofed by their Diamond and then carried away, the servant tried to push the scene from her mind.

She reaffirmed her allegiance to Homeworld, something that seemed to waiver whenever that rose quartz was around, but with Rose gone, it seemed nothing was tethering Pink’s growing demands. Before, she would only take one, maybe two of the two-legs and ship them to the zoo, but now, now she would gather up whole villages.

And when Pink wasn’t capturing two-legs, members of her court were tormenting them. If the younger leader deemed a particular area the site of a new spire, regardless of whether that space was occupied or not, that spire would be built. It was a daily facet that gems were literally throwing two-legs from their homes, snatching up those who tried to escape and crushing those who dared fight back.

That was just one thing. Pink’s plans for her first colony had begun to grow past just using the creatures for her own purposes, it was now entering into…dangerous territory. Seeing the beginning successes on the planet and hearing that her experiments were proving to be fruitful out in her space station, the young leader began to believe that she was ushering in something grand and new. Something never before tried and it filled her with a confidence that may have grown to large.

Worse yet, Pink was starting to instill her court with the same thoughts and ideals – that the Earth would be their greatest colony and Pink Diamond was their greatest leader. Their _only_ leader. While White, Yellow, and Blue all had their own worlds, it was all the same – the same kindergartens, the same spires, the same structures. But Pink’s colonies would be different. Not only was Pink going to save on Homeworld and gem resources by using the resources of the planet, she was going to create new buildings and structures that wouldn’t be found anywhere else.

And instead of placing all of her buildings on land, she decided to build in places that would have seemed odd, especially when a lapis lazuli had yet to truly transform the planet to fit gem preference. Much of the structures built on Homeworld and other colonies were done on land, but Pink wanted to take advantage of the planet. So while plans for the colony were set, locations had not been. Pink had set those locations.

So the Lunar Sea Spire was built in the middle of one of the Earth’s oceans; several spires were crafted within the Earth’s sky, allowing them to be free floating with access only by gem means. Entertainment and battle areas were built in the strange puffs of white that hung in the sky…

In a grand scheme of things, these decisions may have seemed like divine invention if not for the warning Pearl kept feeling. Even speaking to Pink’s sapphire drew no comfort for the servant.

“It is our Diamond’s will to do what she sees fit on this colony,” came the calm, smooth reply.

“You can’t seriously be behind this!” Pearl exclaimed, fearfully. “Some of these decisions make no sense! She didn’t even wait for the lazuli to terraform the planet before making construction plans! Not to mention that she keeps changing the amount of kindergartens…that’s going to put an incredible amount of stress on the planet and its ecosystem.”

Despite the bangs that hung in her face, Pearl had the distinct impression that the sapphire was glaring at her. “I wonder if your feelings on this matter are clear.”

Pearl managed to stomp down her emotions. “Of course they are,” she said.

“Because everything our Diamond does is for the advancement of our kind,” the sapphire continued.

“I am aware.”

“Are you?” the shorter gem asked. “It seems to me that you’re attempting to question the will of our Diamond.”

“I am doing no such thing!”

“Temper yourself, Pearl,” the sapphire commented. “Your emotions are starting to get the better of you. These words and concerns do not seem to be the ones of a loyal pearl to her Diamond.”

Pearl grimaced, her anger boiling just under the surface. “You’ll do good to remember that Pink is _not_ my Diamond,” she hissed. “I have no more allegiance to her than you to White or Yellow.”

“On the contrary,” Sapphire pointed out. “Regardless of court affiliation, _all_ Diamonds are our Diamonds. And if you can’t adhere to that, then maybe you should remember your purpose to the empire.” The seer’s look turned cold, even if Pearl couldn’t physically see it from under her bangs. “Don’t think we haven’t noticed the amount of time spent with cut 9FH,” she continued.

“That was totally professional and in line with our duties.”

“She was very close to these creatures,” Sapphire replied. “Though I did not foresee you also having an…affinity for them.”

“That’s a lie!” Pearl snapped. “My loyalty has always and will be to our empire and our Diamonds.”

“I’ve sensed a great conflict within you.”

“There is no conflict,” Pearl stated. “My concern is only for our Diamond and our kind. Clearly, I am the only one who finds her behavior…disturbing.”

“Then by all means, Pearl,” the smaller gem smirked. “Be sure to report that to your _true_ Diamond.”

If that didn’t irk Pearl something fierce. She and Pink’s Sapphire had never really gotten along, but then again, they were gems and few gems could count the number of allies within their court on their hand. They both held the position of guiding Pink and this colony and quite frankly, Pearl had a sneaking suspicion that Sapphire might be steering Pink towards her own agenda, whatever that could be.

They both knew that at the end of this completion, one of them would be staying in the court and the other would leave, but it still didn’t keep them from trying to curry favor with their Diamond. As with everything that seemed to be changed from the very presence on the planet, Pearl found herself doing something no other pearl would ever do, especially to a superior as a grand clarity.

Leaning in closer to the gem, she hissed, “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? You can believe me when I say that it will be the first thing I tell White Diamond and I might just mention that you seem to think you know more than you actually do.”

“Remember who you are speaking to,” the sapphire replied. “I can see events as they play out and you, Pearl, are coming to the end of this event. I have no concerns over our Diamond’s decisions because her decisions will lead this empire into a new era, one in which you will not be a part of. I have seen it and fate will ensure its conclusion.

“The hope for you now is that you return to Homeworld in one piece.”

It was on the tip of Pearl’s tongue to contradict the statement, but she couldn’t. It was clear that this sapphire at least was well aware that Pearl was making reports back to White Diamond. Thankfully or unfortunately, the servant was not at liberty to say anything on the subject; even if she wanted to, the words would be lost and her actions would betray her.

Sadly, the five years that Rose Quartz, cut 9FH had been ‘reassigned’ to the orbital habitat, Pearl was essentially on her own. There was a growing, gnawing feeling that something was about to happen, but she didn’t know what. She had a feeling her communications to White Diamond did nothing to boost the perception that the youngest was capable of handling a colony and watching the growing madness of Pink Diamond and her court meant Pearl was the only gem who wasn’t caught up in everything.

That is, until Rose Quartz returned.

The message had been unexpected, especially from someone who had seemed very clear on how they did not approve of the way the colony was shaping up to be. Gem technology had been changing steadily, the more worlds conquered, the more foreign technology was absorbed into Homeworld’s own. The galaxy warp pad for instance was a budding new way for travel, allowing for other gems to arrive on the colony or anywhere else on the planet.

They were still constructing smaller warp pads around the planet, but it would eventually be an interconnected hub. Just as travel methods were being updated, so too were their communication devices. While the use of wailing stones were still used in mass, they were starting to be phased out by smaller devices, though so far these were only being used by the Diamonds proper.

Pink Diamond’s court still had wailing stones, but thanks to warp pad technology, one of the newer Diamond communicators was supposedly going to be delivered to her once they verified the ability and reliability of the device. Until then, Pink had set up a wailing stone near her palanquin, especially when she planned on being in the area for a substantial amount of time. Hence, when the sound of an incoming message came from the wailing stone.

The message was coming from the orbital space station and it was assumed the message was most likely from the morganite that ran it; she often sent reports to Pink detailing the ongoing activities that happened within the station and when the talk would start into what the gem was achieving with the two-legged creatures, Pink would have both Pearl and Sapphire leave the palanquin.

This message however was not from morganite, but the rose quartz that had been sent there years earlier.

_“My Diamond,” she began. “I wanted to offer my sincere apologies for how I behaved the last time we met. You were right – I had no appreciation for your vision and it pains me that I almost ruined the very thing you have been trying to accomplish. My time here has shown me what needs to be done and…I believe I can be a much better asset to you if I were to return to Earth._

_“I can only beg forgiveness and hope that you will allow me to show you that I do understand. I understand everything now.”_

To say Pink Diamond was pleased with this was an understatement. As this particular rose quartz grew ever closer to the planet’s creatures, she began to become…unruly, argumentative…possibly unstable due to an unknown defect that had missed Pink’s eyes; the leader could admit that she had often turned a blind eye to the actions of her rose quartz gems. They were hers, after all, her own creations so it was hard to see any true malicious intent they might have had against her.

Cut 9FH was just head strong, much like her, and Pink knew all she needed was to be put in to a situation that would show her the actual work she was involved in. Once away from the planet, it seemed this rose quartz could finally see the error of her ways. Excited to have her favorite gem returned, Pink quickly dispatched Pearl to take the warp pad to the landing location where Rose would ultimately arrive. Pearl was to then take her to the new growing site of their third kindergarten, where Rose would be placed in charge.

Pearl couldn’t lie – she was excited to see the quartz again. She hadn’t realized how very lonely her life had been until Rose begun to show her attention; she had been so kind to her, so nice…their parting had given Pearl a horrible case of guilt. She had tried to talk sense to Rose, chastising her slightly for her reaction over the death of the tiny two-leg. In return, the quartz chastised _her_ for turning a blind eye to the reality of their society.

Those words had haunted Pearl, making her rethink some of her views and actions – it was hard, of course. These two-legged creatures were essentially going to make pearls obsolete, how could she just let that happen? She’d be out of a job and she was already teetering on the edge thanks to her own defect. But Rose reminded her, rather harshly, that two-legs would then suffer the same type of scrutiny, malice, and abuse that pearls currently did.

The thinner gem had brushed off the entire conversation, trying to stop the feelings of…what, she didn’t know. Two-legs and pearls were _not_ the same! There was no way that these…these _beings_ could ever be as efficient, orderly, or productive as pearls and certainly, they couldn’t be as loyal. No gem or…two-leg were as loyal as pearls! Their entire function, purpose, and _being_ was to serve their Diamond and their empire. These creatures wouldn’t know anything about that – they often fought amongst themselves, over stupid things like others like them and food stuffs…

But Rose’s words couldn’t be so easily forgotten, especially in light of Pink’s own growing obsession. If anything, Pearl had given a lot of thought to what Rose had been trying to tell her and while she still held her views on the two-legs and the planet, she knew she didn’t want to the fate of all pearls to land squarely in their lap; and she knew she never wanted to see anything like the tiny two-leg being disposed of like that.

So she had taken one of the newly installed warp pads and went to the location where Rose’s transport would land. It was a new location for Pearl – this one a large field, full of the green plant things Rose gushed about and had made come alive before her eyes once. The day was bright and warm, causing Pearl to glance around her surroundings as she stepped off the warp pad to wait for Rose.

For maybe the first time in the several years they had been on the planet, this was the first time Pearl truly could see what Rose saw. The peacefulness and tranquility that the view gave her mind was quickly filled with the cold and sterile feel of a Homeworld colony and for a moment, one brief moment, the servant wished that wouldn’t happen; that the beauty she was seeing now, the beauty that had been right before her this entire time, would stay the same.

But she knew that was an impossibility.

Finally, the small transport ship came into view and landed just a short ways away from Pearl and the warp pad. The thin gem waited for the landing to open and, for the first time in five years, saw the familiar figure of Rose Quartz, cut 9FH. However, she wasn’t truly the Rose she remembered. Instead of wearing the familiar soldier uniform and attire that set Pink’s court apart, Rose was dressed in a flowing white gown; there was a star cut in the middle of it, displaying her rose quartz gem proudly from her stomach, while her wild, pink curls cascaded down along her bare shoulders.

Pearl blinked several times as the taller gem saw her from the landing and began her approach. “Hello Pearl.”

Pearls were normally nervous creatures, given that their very existence was based on their owner’s whims, and this particular pearl was used to feeling as though things were happening around her that she had no control over. Like this – seeing Rose Quartz, cut 9FH, should not have rendered her mute, but it did. It felt like that moment, long ago, when she had fallen out of her Diamond’s palanquin and this gem had caught her.

She even felt her cheeks grow hot from the rising blush.

“R…Rose!” the gem sputtered. “I…I see you reformed.”

“I did,” the gem said, smiling at her. Looking around, Rose noticed that Pearl was the only gem who bothered to greet her. “No Pink Diamond?” she asked.

“I…” Pearl stumbled, before shaking her head. “I regret to inform you that our…our Diamond was needed elsewhere, so she wasn’t able to be here for your arrival.”

“A shame,” replied the quartz, though from her tone and face, it was clear that there was no shame in the slightest. “And it’s just you then?”

“It’s…it’s just me.” Pearl chuckled, nervously. What was wrong with her? Surely the appearance of one gem shouldn’t be making her so…unnerved, but here she was. “Erm…” she started, before clearing her throat and trying again.

“Our Diamond would like you to oversee one of the new Kindergartens,” she said. “I’m to show you where it is and then, I must get back to my duties.”

“Of course. But…” Rose leaned forward so she could look at the gem closely. Up close, Rose was even more lovely that Pearl remembered. Where did _that_ come from? “It doesn’t have to be right away, right?”

“Um…” she stuttered. “Yes, it does?”

Rose moved back, laughing as she did. “Take a walk with me first.”

Pearl tried to resist, she really did, but Rose always had an aura about her that made it almost impossible for you to say no. Slipping a strong, solid arm through her smaller one, Rose began walking through the fields, doing the same observations that Pearl had when she had first arrived.

They had walked for several minutes, no word said between them, and just as Pearl was about to call it a day and try to get Rose back on their now ruined schedule, the quartz spoke.

“Do you remember our last conversation?”

“Yes,” Pearl whispered, her face hot in embarrassment. Of course she remembered it, tormenting her these past years and she mourned the loss of her possibly first, last, and only friend on this miserable rock of a planet.

“And?” Rose questioned, giving her a side glance. “Do you still believe that Pink’s actions are not our concern?”

“I…”

And right there, Pearl knew that Rose’s message had been a lie. She hadn’t seen any error in her ways; if anything, she was even more committed in showing Pink and gem kind the error of theirs. Problem being, Pearl was starting to sway to the quartz’s side, even if by a hair.

Looking around quickly, Pearl confessed her true feelings on the matter. “I believe in our Diamond’s ideals,” she admitted. “Just not her methods.”

“Oh?”

“She’s…” the pearl began, quietly. “She’s unnecessarily cruel at times and encourages the others to be as well. The creatures here fascinate her, but not in the way you’re…fascinated with them.” She described an incident with a small, winged thing that had been bothering a nearby ruby and how the creature was essentially tortured before being put out of its memory.

Pearl was used to the Diamond’s cruelty, all gems were, but this seemed on a scale like had never been before and this was what actually frightened her. And once again, Rose found a measure to cite her views and beliefs, but this time, Pearl was more than ready for it. Calling Rose’s name, she managed to pull both of them to a stop.

“What is this?” she asked. “Why are you here, really?”

“I want to fulfill my purpose,” Rose answered, honestly.

“Somehow I don’t believe that’s true.” Pearl knew it and Rose knew it, which is probably why she just smirked.

“Enlighten me then,” she chuckled. “What do _you_ believe I’m here to do?”

Rose also pushed her luck, especially in speaking with Pearl. Pearls weren’t known for giving their thoughts and the quartz always wanted to know hers. “I…I don’t rightly know,” Pearl said. “But I don’t believe it’s the reason you told our Diamond.”

“ _Our_ Diamond,” Rose repeated. “But is she really?”

Rose was implying something, and it made Pearl tense up. Complaining about the Diamonds, even in secret, was one thing, what Rose was saying was a completely different realm.

“What’re you saying?” she squeaked.

“I’m saying I don’t feel the need to serve Pink Diamond.”

That…was not what Pearl expected to her, though some part of her wasn’t all that surprised. “Is…is there another Diamond that you feel you would be better suited for?”

Very rarely were gems transferred from one court to another. In most cases, the only time it happened was the case of Pink Diamond – a new leader starting their first colony. The military gems, while mostly coming from Yellow’s court, were usually used for military purposes; rubies were the exception. Because their very purpose was to, well, be the first casualties in any conflict, they were numerous in population and spread out across all four courts.

What Rose was suggesting was unheard of – no gem _willingly_ left the service of their Diamond to serve another. At least, not the way Rose was saying. If a gem, like Pearl, was told to go into another court, that’s what they did. The quartz was talking about actively leaving Pink’s court for another, potentially exposing the conflict the two of them had.

For a gem that was _specifically_ created for their Diamond, this was akin to, well, _treason_.

And then Pearl heard the actual reason. Rose Quartz truly was committing treason – she wasn’t going into another court; she was fleeing gem society as a whole, but not even that was enough. Rose was going to try to bring everything down around them.

And Pearl would have no part of it.

For the second time in a row, Pearl actively turned down and tuned out the blasphemous words Rose was trying to corrupt her with. What Rose was talking about would get her shattered in minutes and while Pearl counted her as a friend, even friends had to walk away sometimes. She couldn’t talk her out of this and Rose didn’t want to be talked out of it, so they came to a stalemate.

Pearl left Rose on that grassy field and returned back to Pink Diamond, but it wouldn’t be the last time she would see the quartz. In fact, it would only take a few weeks before Pearl would change her mind on things.

 

* * *

 

“My Diamond.”

“Ah, Pearl. I’m glad you’ve decided to discuss matters with me again. I do enjoy these chats of ours and was remiss when you missed our scheduled time.”

Pearl wisely kept her mouth shut, though even if she tried to say something against her Diamond, she wouldn’t be able to. It had only been a few weeks since she had been in this same area, down on the ground below, speaking to Rose Quartz about her rebelling against the authority. While she hadn’t said anything and she hadn’t asked, Pearl knew Rose wanted her to join in whatever crazed debauchery the quartz had.

And Pearl had said no. Despite her feelings on the matter or even the concerns she held, Pearl was loyal to the Diamonds and loyal to the gempire. It shouldn’t have been a hard choice, but it had been, especially when Rose had given her this look. It wasn’t surprise and it wasn’t disappointment – it was almost like…resignation, as though Rose _knew_ Pearl would say no.

Almost like…she knew at some point Pearl would turn her in.

And Pearl certainly had a number of times in which she could have. Rose hadn’t gone with her to the new kindergarten location, so Pearl arrived back at Pink’s court alone. Right then, she could have reported what happened – that Rose had easily gotten away and seemed to be on the verge of madness, talking about rebellion and disrespecting the Diamond Authority.

But she didn’t.

Pearl had made a report to White Diamond later that night and once again, she could’ve mentioned something; should’ve mentioned something instead of letting her annoyance and anger over Pink’s sapphire get the better of her. The cost of that was being unable to say another word about White or her role as her pearl; from here on out, Pearl could only adhere to orders from her superiors. She couldn’t even mention her current role as Pink’s pearl, lease suspicion fall on White as to why her pearl was there.

It seemed pointless – after all, most elite members had to know. The Diamonds certainly knew and Sapphire seemed to know almost immediately – though, given that sapphires did possess the sight, that could’ve just been a freebie – but regardless of what Pearl thought or wanted, she was now under strict orders to not compromise her current mission.

Since then, Pearl knew without a doubt she had just managed to escape with her life. The Diamonds were powerful beings and their power was not to be denied or ignored; as gems were reminded daily, they had the power to create life and the power to take it away. And Pearl was desperately trying to keep hers.

Her missed communication to White had been due, not surprisingly, to Rose. The quartz was taking the fight to Pink and her court, by dismantling construction to anything that was deemed important – from kindergartens to spires – anything was up for grabs. She was literally a gem possessed to cause so much damage in a such a short amount of time and she was being a bit reckless too.

For now, all Pink and her gems knew was that someone was trying to sabotage them and the general consensus was the two-legs; they hadn’t acted against any group – yet – but Pearl knew it was just a matter of time. Worse of course was when sapphire would be brought in to the mix – so far, she hadn’t see anything about Rose, other than she had seemingly disappeared.

That of course turned everything back on Pearl, who lied so convincingly that neither the Diamond or her seer bothered to question her further. But it still meant that Rose was somewhere on the planet, though Pink seemed to be under the impression she was just lost and Pearl, the incompetent fool that she was, had most likely gone to the wrong site and had missed Rose completely.

The thin gem wisely didn’t offer a retort.

But now she stood atop one of the floating cliffs above the peaceful site she had visited weeks before, confident that even Sapphire would have no idea where she was and why she was there. There, Pearl opened the Diamond communicator she had been given, that she had been hiding on her person – in her gemstone of all places – to give her latest report on the possibly falling apart colony of one Pink Diamond.

“I can only offer you my sincere apologies, my Diamond.”

“And how is our little colony coming along?”

As much as Pearl wanted, she could not lie to her Diamond. At least, not outright.

“There have been…some incidents. Nothing major, thankfully, but…some…vandalism.”

“Oh?”

Pearl nodded, slowly. “Some of our construction projects have been set back due to some…unruly hijinks; nothing that can’t be fixed, but it does push back some of our original timelines.”

“A shame. Does Pink have a culprit in mind?”

This was the chance Pearl had to take – she could either give up Rose or give up the two-legged creatures on the planet.

She did neither.

“It’s not so much as a…a…culprit, my Diamond,” she replied. “While some of the damage could be attributed to the…local tribes, in many cases, the wildlife here has most likely been startled by our presence and have acted out. It’s…it’s really of no concern.”

White gave her a look, one that was probing and calculating. “I’m glad to hear it,” she said, after a time. “Though have Pink destroy these meddlesome things. Unless she’s too attached to them to do so. Is that zoo of hers still in operation?”

Pearl nodded, slowly. “I believe so, however I…have only been there once, at the initial opening. Unfortunately, I haven’t paid much mind to the two-legged beings here, as I feel they are just a distraction from our true purpose here.”

“Quite right. I knew I could count on you, Pearl. Despite your…wavering scheduled reports, I understand the building of a new colony does not happen in a fortnight and careful consideration and guidance is paramount to ensuring it is a place worthy of our empire.

“You’ve done well, my pearl. I almost feel bad for my words the last we spoke, but you do understand the gravity of this situation, do you not?”

“Yes, my Diamond.”

“Good. Carry on, Pearl.”

The conversation ended and the thin gem was left in the darkened night, alone in the quiet. She had just lied to her Diamond and worse, she didn’t feel any remorse for doing so and it had seemed so easy to do.

“Pearl?”

Pearl hadn’t expected anyone to be there, so when she turned around, she let out a squeak of surprise before tumbling backwards to the ground, landing hard on her backside. “R-R-Rose!?”

Sure enough, there was Rose Quartz standing on that same cliff, looking down at Pearl in concern and worry. “What…??”

“I’m sorry,” Rose whispered, taking a few steps closer and holding out her hand to help the gem up. Too shocked to move, Pearl just stared at the hand, watching as Rose pulled back in disappointment. “I’m sorry,” she repeated. “I followed you.”

“I can see that,” Pearl sputtered. “Why are you following me?”

Smiling sadly, Rose said, “I’ve been worried about you. I know our past conversations haven’t been…well, they haven’t ended on the best of terms, but I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

Pearl couldn’t help but stare at the larger gem. Looking over Pearl’s head, Rose asked quietly, “Was that White Diamond?”

The thinner gem dropped her head, her mouth tight. Even if she had wanted to, she couldn’t say anything to confirm or deny it. Shaking her head, she thought Rose would realize she didn’t want to discuss it, but Rose Quartz was always a sharp and intelligent gem. “Oh,” she said, nodding almost in understanding. “You…you never mentioned me.”

Pearl looked up, surprised. “You…you heard?”

The quartz nodded. “I was following you,” she whispered. “When you came up here, I wasn’t sure what you were doing and then I heard you speaking to someone. You know my curiosity knows no bounds.” Bending down to the servant’s level, she looked at Pearl. “You never once mentioned who was behind the damage of the colony.”

“I…I wasn’t sure who…”

“Pearl.” Rose gave her a look.

Pearl returned it.

“Why didn’t you turn me in?”

Heat rushed to Pearl’s face. “I…I’m not sure exactly,” she whispered. “Why were you following me?”

“I told you,” Rose replied. “I was worried about you. I know I’ve put you in a bad position and made you mad on more than one occasion and I’m sorry. Obviously, I feel very strongly about this place and the people here, but I shouldn’t have…” The quartz shook her head.

“I…I don’t understand.”

“I care about you.”

She… _cared_ about her? But she was a pearl, no one cared about pearls, not unless they needed something. And here was this quartz soldier saying that she cared about her, a useless pearl. That’s when the gem decided she would make a choice and choose a side.

“I…I want to help.”

“What?”

“I…” Pearl sat up straighter. “I want to help. You, I mean. I…I know I can’t do much. I’m just a pearl, but…”

“You’re not ‘just a pearl’,” Rose insisted, her hand coming down to squeeze a thin shoulder. “You’re smart and intelligent and you’re my friend. You don’t need to do much to be that.”

Pearl hoped the darkness of the nigh would hide the blush that was now full on her face. “Pink’s been sending squads out to look for you,” she blurted. “Everyone thinks you’ve either lost on the planet, shattered by some creature, or taken up with a group of two-legs.”

Rose chuckled. “That seems reasonable.”

“Pink’s planning on leaving tomorrow,” Pearl continued. “She’s taking most of the court with her, except for the bismuths and a few jaspers and amethysts.”

“They’re leaving the planet?” asked Rose. Pearl nodded.

“It’s supposed to be for a meeting with the other Diamonds,” she said. “I’m actually not sure. The request actually never came through me, which is odd, but…well, things have been nothing but odd since arriving here.”

Rose took a moment to consider things before standing and walking past Pearl slightly. She stood near the edge of the cliff, looking out in the fields below and the sky above. “Pearl…”

“Yes?”

Turning to look at the gem still kneeling on the ground, Rose continued. “I’m going to stay and fight for this planet. You don’t have to do this with me.”

“But I want to!” Pearl blurted, shocking herself with the sentiment. Only a few weeks ago, she had wanted to have nothing to do with whatever Rose’s crazy plan is, but now…now Pearl knows what her purpose is. Rose can’t do this alone, there’s no way, but she could if she had help. And the only person who could truly help Rose was…well… _her_.

“I know you do,” Rose said, sadly. Rose knew what she was going to do, but she wasn’t exactly sure if Pearl knew what was going to happen. “Please, please understand if we lose, we’ll be killed, and if we win, we can never go home.”

The quartz gem knew what would happen should she continue her efforts. Though her former Diamond seemed to be under the wrong impression, once Rose continued her destructive protests, Pink and the other Diamonds would know who was responsible and it would put a target on her back until she was captured. She had already made her stand, choosing this planet over her own empire; choosing the beings her over that of her own kind.

“But why would I ever want to go home,” Pearl whispered. “If you’re here?”

Pearl was Rose’s friend, _her friend_ , something that Pearl couldn’t remember ever having before. Friends…friends helped each other, didn’t they? That’s what friendship was about. Rose had been so kind to her and spoken to her as though…as though Pearl _mattered_ , as though her thoughts, comments, and opinions mattered to someone of high caliber like the quartz soldier.

Rose chuckled before once again reaching for Pearl’s hand. This time, the gem placed her hand in the larger one. “My Pearl,” Rose said, fondly. The only people who called her that were the Diamonds and it was never said with such tenderness or affection the way Rose had used it.

_She’s wonderful._

“You’re wonderful…” Pearl bowed her head in embarrassment. She hadn’t meant to say that out loud and she was confused as to why she was always so nervous when around this gem. Obviously, Pink Sapphire had been correct – her feelings _weren’t_ clear, but at that moment, none of it mattered.


	3. Part III: The Shattering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which two immovable objects inevitably smash into each other and leave a lasting impact that will stretch for millennia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we go, y'all! You can't have a fic about the Crystal Gems and not talk about the shattering heard on two worlds.
> 
> So a few things here - since this idea came about before the Wanted special, there is _no_ revelation that Rose may not have actually shattered Pink Diamond. Obviously, this chapter is about what **I** think happened, which has been modified slightly in order to address the Pink Diamond Murder Mystery (PDMM). And yes, before you ask, I will address the mystery as a whole, both in this series and in another story.
> 
> Another two HUGE things here - number 1, as you'll see in the next chapter, The Answer takes place after this and number 2, the events Bismuth speaks of in her episode ALSO takes place after this. Also, while Wanted doesn't take place exactly in this time period, the questions and theory brought up by Blue Zircon in The Trial ARE taken into account (such as the length of time Rose was on the run and the whereabouts of Pink's court).
> 
> Special shout out to [spontaneite](http://archiveofourown.org/users/spontaneite/pseuds/spontaneite) for a couple of very interesting conversations we've been having on her story On the Origins and two of those has lead to a couple of Diamond histories. Be sure to go check them out after this.
> 
> A big thank you for everyone who is still with me! We has some big things coming up, so I hope you're enjoying the ride so far. Happy Holidays, folks! Please be merry and please be safe!

_350 years later_

 

It had been three hundred and fifty years and the planet Earth was no where near being a gem controlled colony. In contrast to her older counterparts, Pink Diamond – while being the youngest to finally start building her own gem colony – was now the slowest Diamond at actually _establishing_ one.

White Diamond held the record of the fastest colony built, though even she would admit that it was a bit of a rush job at the time, an impulse conquering that just needed to be done. But even Yellow and Blue didn’t take nearly as much time to start the foundation for their colonies as Pink was doing for hers. Three hundred and fifty years was far too long to be just at the beginning of construction.

The problem Pink had was one, simple gem – Rose Quartz.

Rose Quartz, cut 9FH, was sabotaging their efforts and it didn’t matter what they did or tried, none of her soldiers were able to capture her. Perhaps it would’ve made a difference if Pink hadn’t bubbled her other rose quartz gems and in hindsight, she shouldn’t have taken her frustration of one out on the others, but it was just so _irritating_! If _one_ rose quartz was going to defy her, how was she to know that the others wouldn’t as well? Worse, it seemed clear that Rose was getting help somehow.

It stood to reason that it was the two-legs she favored so – how else would she know where new construction was being done? It made no sense, none of this makes sense – why would Rose do this? Why would any gem turn on their own kind? It’s unheard of and completely unwarranted and, for the time being, thankfully only regulated to Earth. Pink would never live it down if the others discovered she had a wayward gem, running around and sabotaging her efforts.

No, this was something that needed to be taken care of.

However, despite the chaos that Rose Quartz was doing, it didn’t move Pink’s focus away from her goal of having human servants. Something strange had happened within her zoo – while the humans were still being trained, their usefulness seemed to be dwindling. Worse, the original group of humans had died off, forcing Pink to get new humans, and the cycle would continue. BUT…at some point, some of these humans began forming…attachments to others.

No one understood what was happening, but before long, tiny humans began to appear within the zoo. It was bewildering. Where were these things coming from?? Morganite had reported trying to get rid of these hideous things, but after the second tiny had appeared, the two-legged beings actually resisted and attacked! Pink had to send more support to the zoo, just so these two-legs understood who they were dealing with.

And then Morganite sent reports that the two-legs were complaining – about their enclosures, their nourishment, the nourishment for their tiny ones…it was, in a word, _annoying_. But again, Pink couldn’t exactly go to the others about this – they weren’t aware of her grand schemes and she knew almost immediately that should they find out, the entire operation would be shot down. No, these things needed to be done by Pink and her gems. She had already taken care of the rose quartzes and if what her sapphire said was true, it was just a matter of time before _the_ Rose Quartz was taken care of too. If she could just get more of her colony up and running, things would be fine.

 

* * *

 

“My Diamond, I have some updates on the colony.”

“Go ahead.”

“We’ve…we’ve encountered some issues with the natives…”

There was irony in being there, giving White Diamond her scheduled reports, while trying not to divulge any information that could get her – and others – shattered. Her purpose had been to be a spy, because who would ever suspect a pearl of supplying highly sensitive and important information to someone else?

So here she was, giving exaggerated reports to the gem who initially started her on this role in the first place, while trying to hide the fact that she would turn around and deliver any news to a rogue gem that was helping to destroy the very colony they were supposed to be building.

“Are these the same issues that have been going on for far longer than they should?”

Pearl was speechless. Did White know? “The natives have…shown far more intelligence than we initially first thought,” she said. “It’s nothing we can’t handle…”

“Which hasn’t been handled at all, surprisingly.”

Pearl was silent, not wanting to say anything against the contrary.

“I will speak to Pink on her ridiculous ideals,” the Diamond replied. “This madness will end, I will make sure of that. Thank you, Pearl, for bringing this nonsense to my attention. You have of course been a vital key in this…assessment. I won’t need you to come when I summon her; you’re to stay on the planet and keep an eye on these mongrel organics.”

 

* * *

 

“Do you think she suspects anything?”

Rose Quartz, cut 9FH, was indeed being helped by some of the two-legged beings on the planet. One of the villages she had befriended had thankfully known that she wasn’t completely at fault for the troubles her kind brought about to the planet, so when she asked for sanctuary, they pointed her towards an area that was full of caves, which would allow her to hide from any pursuer.

This would become her temporary base for the last few years, however she made the decision to make sure and change her hideouts, never keeping the same area for any length of time. While she was confident that Pink’s forces wouldn’t find her, Rose needed to make sure that they wouldn’t find the village and the people she was getting help from. Pink was not known for her for her kindness for two-legs and she was having trouble taking them like she had earlier.

Thankfully, with Rose providing a distraction, Pink’s goal of kidnapping the natives was starting to take a backseat. Added to that was the fact she had no idea how Rose was able to know about current construction locations.

Pearl, who had thrown her support behind Rose and her ideals, had turned from being a spy for White Diamond against the court of Pink Diamond to spying on both courts in order to help Rose. Her feelings for the rogue gem had always confused her, but now – after these two centuries – Pearl’s feelings were even more conflicted. The only thing she knew for sure was that she was…fond of the quartz soldier.

Overly so.

And while there were still times she didn’t understand why Rose would put everything on the line for these squishy beings, Pearls couldn’t deny the sense of adventure, or excitement that coursed through her whenever Rose looked at her, confided in _her_ about her plans or ideas; in turn, Pearl gathered as much information as she could and told Rose all she knew.

The only hang up they had was White Diamond. Pearl couldn’t specifically say what her affiliation was to the gem matriarch, but Rose seemed to guess and know either way. They had managed to find a work around, however – while Pearl was unable to _tell_ Rose about her role, she could _show_ her.

All pearls had the ability to project from their gems – it made them the perfect record keepers and why most of the elites were afforded one, versus say a military gem of high standing. Pearls had near perfect memories and what they couldn’t remember, they had recorded, with the ability to play back an event. White Diamond had only made it so Pearl never again mention her work, but there was nothing that said she couldn’t show anyone what was happening.

With Rose fully now aware of who exactly Pearl was and knowing that the servant risked her very life by meeting with her, Rose asked the question that pressed both of them.

“Do you think she suspects anything?”

“I don’t know,” Pearl sighed, shaking her head. She had snuck out to meet in one of Rose’s secret hideaways, near one of the near completed kindergartens, which gave Pearl the excuse needed should anyone question why she was there. “Sometimes I think she has absolutely no idea, but other times…but if she was aware, wouldn’t she have done something by now?”

Rose hummed. “I’m not sure,” she whispered. “You’re right. It’s been over three hundred years, so you would think there would be some retribution for our actions. But we can’t worry about her now; she wants to see Pink, so that might actually work in our favor.”

“How?”

“Don’t you see?” Rose said, smiling. “If White is just as disturbed about Pink’s actions as we are, then it means she’s finally do something about it.”

“Yes,” Pearl began, worriedly. “But that might also mean she’ll just send down more of Yellow’s military might to do what should’ve been done in the first place.” Rose sent her a look. “Not that I want that!” Pearl exclaimed, before looking around them to ensure no one had actually heard her.

The two let a few moments go by, listening to make sure no one heard the outburst. When they didn’t hear anything, they both sighed. It was crucial to ensure they weren’t found or heard as their lives and the sake of the planet was at stake. “I’m sorry,” Pearl whispered.

Rose waved her off. “It’s fine,” she replied, smiling again at the gem. “I know you still don’t see what I do, but I appreciate you trying. The life here…it’s important. Just as important as ours and it’s not fair that we just take that away from a species that…that has such potential.”

Pearl nodded, though slowly in a sign that she understood, but didn’t quite understand. What potential did these primitive creatures possibly possess? And how would it potentially come back to bite them when they least suspected?

 

* * *

 

Pink was not happy.

White Diamond had followed through with her plans on calling in Pink, ensuring that both Yellow and Blue Diamond were both there. Pink then gathered some of her court members – leaving Pearl, her Sapphire, and a few jaspers and rubies – and headed back to Homeworld proper. As much as she didn’t want to go, _no one_ ignored a direct summons from White; not only was it not proper, it was _unheard_ of.

Homeworld hadn’t changed much in the time Pink had been there – the main hub of their empire was bright in colors, awash in blues, yellows, whites, and pink and staining every high tower and spire that sprung into the sky. Pink hadn’t spent a lot of time on Homeworld, usually flitting across the different colonies between Yellow and Blue as they showed her how to conquer worlds in the proper gem way.

Many of their buildings were purposeful in nature, of course, ensuring that elites and the Diamonds could confer in private and in front of an audience in order to be imposing. The room Pink found herself was as devoid of anything other than the four walls needed to sustain its construction, with four seats around the middle of the room. The other three Diamonds were already waiting for her when Pink entered, taking the seat in between Blue and Yellow.

Blue Diamond was seated to her right and was the monarch over all developments of colonies. It was her court that oversaw the beginnings of colonies, with her court of lapis lazulis and aquamarines. Blue was also the one in charge of the sapphires, the gems who were able to predict future events; it was a skill only available to these types of gems and it was Blue who was in charge of them and their development.

Yellow Diamond was primarily in charge of their military, something that had evolved to take care of those planet natives that weren’t receptive to being inhabited by another species. Most of the jaspers, rubies, and amethysts were grown especially for combat against their enemies, which was basically anyone that was not a gem. Yellow ensured they had a military advantage over their enemies, though that wasn’t saying much; they had yet to encounter a species that could even begin to hold any resistance to their technological advances.

Yellow hadn’t been happy when White decided to turn their move advanced dedications towards expansion instead of military; it made sense of course – no one was about to stand against them, so why would they bother when they had the superior knowledge and expertise to fight off whatever came towards them? But Yellow liked being prepared, though the pursuit was more about intimidation and showing dominance.

White of course sat across from them, her leg cross over the other, arms crossed as she looked directly at Pink. “Alright White,” Yellow began, also crossing her arms. “We’re here as requested, so _why_ exactly are we here?”

“Must I have a reason to want to see each of my favorite gems?” the matriarch asked. “We’re always so busy, with each of our colonies, we never have time to just sit and talk. How’re things?” Gray eyes lasered in on Pink. “Pink, how is your colony? Tell us _all_ about it.”

“What’s there to tell,” Pink sneered. “That you don’t already know. Let’s just get to the point, shall we? I know I’m the reason we’re here.”

“Pink?” asked Blue, looking at the Diamond next to her.

“Go on then,” White said, gesturing between Blue and Yellow. “Tell them how your colony is doing.”

Pink narrowed her eyes. “My colony is going very well, thank you,” she replied. “We’ve been a little behind schedule due to interference from the organic natives.”

“I’m sorry,” Yellow interrupted. “Why exactly are their still inhabitants on the planet? Did you miss some when you cleared it out?”

“Oh, that would be the simple explanation, wouldn’t it, Pink?” White asked, condescendingly. “If only that were the case.”

“Pink, what is she talking about?” Blue asked. “I don’t understand.”

“It’s Pink’s grand plan,” the lead Diamond continued. “She’s going to replace our gems with these…organics.”

“What!?”

“That’s not true!” Pink explained, leaning forward. “But now that you’ve given me the idea, perhaps I might.”

“Stars above, what are you thinking!?” Yellow cried. “You would actually sully our great nation by introducing those…disgusting beasts into our midst?”

“Oh, what would you know?” Pink retorted. “All of you are wasting perfectly good resources by ridding the planets of their creatures. Why should we use up our resources to create more and more gems when we could use the inhabitants to handle menial tasks?”

“Is that why your colony is in its infancy?” Yellow asked, annoyed by the very conversation. “It’s been well over three centuries, Pink! I was building my nineteenth colony and looking for my twenty in that time.”

“Oh Pink,” Blue sighed. “It’s nice to have lofty goals, but you can’t just let your colony suffer like this.”

“It’s not suffering,” Pink insisted. “It’s just…”

“Faltering,” Yellow supplied.

“It would be much better if I didn’t have such unruly gems.”

“What’s that now?” White asked.

Pink grimaced. She hadn’t intended to say anything about her quartz soldier turning on her, but in her frustration, she had let her thoughts and mouth run away from her. Sighing, she quickly explained that one of her rose quartzes was helping the organics on the planet and that was why the colony was running behind. To say the others were upset was an understatement; in fact, upset would be putting it mildly.

Yellow was nearly beside herself, completely unhinged at the very notion a gem would not only turn on their Diamond and their kind, but to willingly side with a species not even worthy to mention by name. Blue was a little understanding, taking the stance that Pink must have been devastated.

White, however, took the more rational stance. “I’m not even going to address this, Pink,” she replied. “Because I think it’s clear what you need to know, but just in case you are unable to fully comprehend your next steps, let me lay them out for you. Firstly, you are to stop this ridiculous fascination with the inhabitants of this planet by destroying every single one of them.

“Once that has been taken care of, you are to find this rogue quartz and eliminate her. Then you are to complete your colony on Earth and return back here for…educational purposes. Have I made myself clear?”

Pink seethed internally. “I can handle my own, thank you.”

“Clearly not,” White said. “You are to follow my instructions, because the consequences of not doing so will end very bad for you.”

For obvious reasons, the meeting wasn’t nearly as productive as Blue or Yellow may have thought; Pink of course left in a heated state, annoyed by White’s interference in matters that didn’t concern her. The younger Diamond traveled back to Earth, already in a state, and not all happy to discover that Rose Quartz had destroyed a number of injectors within their first kindergarten.

“Sapphire!” she exclaimed, looking at her seer.

“My Diamond.”

“Surely you’ve seen something,” Pink said, glaring at the smaller gem. “ _Anything_ that would help stop this madness!”

“I have tried to focus on the capture of Rose Quartz,” the seer replied. “Unfortunately, it’s been very vague and…”

“I don’t want to hear excuses, Sapphire!” the Diamond exclaimed. “From now on, your very purpose is to discover how to capture that quartz. Pearl!”

“Y-yes, my Diamond.”

“I want to know the progress on our incubation and kindergartens,” she said. “And regardless of numbers, I want it to double in production. Have all the bismuths be on alert and I want the rubies to keep watch on all perimeters during construction. If anyone sees Rose Quartz, I want her shattered on sight.”

 

* * *

 

This pattern of action and inaction continued for another few years – Rose would sabotage the efforts of the bismuths, easily evading the rubies tasked to keep their eyes open for her; Pink would push her sapphire for visions that would hopefully show the capture of the rogue gem; Pearl would make reports to White and then turn around and show them to Rose, while also telling her about Pink’s plans for her.

This pattern may have gone on for another few years and maybe another few centuries, however a simple suggestion managed to change the outcome for everyone involved.

 

* * *

 

“My Diamond.”

“Hello, Pearl. How are things on Earth?”

“Fine! Nothing…nothing to really report, actually.”

“Oh? Your problems with the…natives and the rogue quartz have ended?”

“Ah…well…no, not…not exactly.”

“I see. I was hoping that Pink would actually put her plan into motion, but I guess she decided against this, but…hmmm…”

“My…my Diamond?”

“Pearl, I’d like you to perhaps make a suggestion to Pink.”

“A suggestion?”

“Well, more of a reminder. You see, our last meeting Pink discussed speaking with this rogue quartz. Perhaps its moot and she won’t listen, however it could deliver a statement. Maybe that’s why she hasn’t gone through with it – perhaps this quartz refuses to listen.”

“Oh no!” Pearl interrupted, grimacing slightly. “I mean to say, my Diamond, that I remember this particular quartz and from what I could tell, she seemed to be reasonable. I…I believe that she could be reasoned with, if Pink Diamond were to of course speak to her, I mean.”

White gave Pearl a look before nodding. “Very good, then. Try to see if you can convince her; despite your status, your position should afford you the right to speak your thoughts.”

“Of course, my Diamond.”

 

* * *

 

“She wants to meet with me?”

Once again, Pearl and Rose met in secret, this time in one of the villages Rose would frequent. The two-legs were very cordial, offering both gems food and drink, which Rose took happily, but Pearl declined. It was clear these people liked Rose and knew her very well. Pearl began their nightly discussion by showing the quartz her last conversation with White Diamond, including what she said about Pink.

Pearl nodded. “I’m supposed to make the suggestion,” she began. “But it sounds like the thought was already there.”

Rose’s face, normally so full of happiness, pinched in confusion. “Has she shown any feeling on what she’s doing?” she asked.

“If you mean, has she changed her mind about building a colony here, then no,” Pearl admitted. “She hasn’t taken any more two-legs, but I do know there’s…something happened at that facility. The…two-legs have…multiplied, I guess. Morganite’s been complaining about tiny two-legs that keep popping up.”

She couldn’t help it, Rose laughed. The thought of the gems there having to watch over the small beings was hilarious, but there were possible consequences too. “What have they done?” she asked, the worst ideas suddenly coming to mind.

Pearl was slightly hesitant on answering, but eventually she said, “There were some incidences, though I don’t know if there have been others.”

“So basically,” Rose sighed. “Pink is more determined than ever on destroying this planet and everyone on it.”

“She’s not destroying everyone…” Pearl trailed off.

“Of course,” Rose huffed, rolling her eyes. “I meant to say destroying this planet and turning their inhabitants into pearls. Perhaps you should be a little nicer to your replacements.”

“That’s not at all funny.”

“No?”

“No,” Pearl said, her face drawn in anger. “Not remotely.”

Rose immediately relented in her harsh teasing, placing a hand on the gem’s arm. “Pearl, I’m sorry,” she said. “That was totally unkind of me to say.”

Pearl smiled, sadly. “It’s fine,” she giggled. “You’re right, of course. I shouldn’t wish my position on anyone, even if I’m the pearl of a…” She stopped abruptly, her hand quickly covering her mouth. This wasn’t the first time she had been trying to say something and immediately stopped herself; both had to assume this was something done by White Diamond to prevent the servant from saying anything about her position as a Diamond’s pearl, even if she actually speaking about Pink Diamond.

“Well,” the servant chuckled without mirth. “You know what I mean.”

“Do you think she actually wants to talk?” asked Rose.

Pearl shook her head. “I’m honestly not sure,” she said. “But…perhaps…perhaps this could be the start of something new?”

Rose sighed. “I can’t avoid the possibility that Pink may actually want to discuss things,” she whispered.

“It could also be a trick.”

“Yes, it could be,” the quartz agreed. “But what if it’s not? It may seem slim, but…the possibility of Pink seeing what she’s doing to the planet, what she’s doing to the natives here…”

“Do you honestly think she’s reconsidered?”

“The only way to know is to take her up on the offer.”

Pearl frowned, not liking how this idea was sounding. “Rose,” she said. “I really don’t have a good feeling about this. I mean, I know you care about these beings and the planet, but…how do you know this would even work?”

The quartz shrugged. “I don’t,” she said. “But I have to try.”

The servant just looked at the gem before her, stunned by the resolve she seemed to have. Rose was confident, compassionate, and she obviously knew how to avoid being captured; for some reason, Pearl was drawn to her, to her strength, to her confidence, and ultimately, her courage. Once again, Rose had shown she was a completely different gem from the ones she knew and she was slowly starting to believe some of the things Rose believed – that she, a mere pearl, could be something… _more_.

It was a crazy notion, of course – gems were produced for one thing and that was whatever their purpose was. Rubies were manufactured to fight, sapphires were manufactured to see into the future, and pearls were manufactured to serve; that was all there was to that, there was no way to change it.

Right?

But Rose…this rose quartz, who had been produced to fight and serve her Diamond, was fighting _for_ the planet and _against_ her Diamond. It was unheard of! And the more Pearl heard it, the more…the more…open things seemed to be. Certainly, it was happening already – she had been produced to be a servant for one Diamond and was now serving another, while spying on that Diamond for the other, which in turn saw her spying on _both_ Diamonds for the gem in front of her.

Without even knowing it, Rose Quartz had managed to change Pearl’s very purpose.

 

* * *

 

The next few days, Rose upped her attacks on the kindergartens, spires, and other structures, knocking out most of the injectors and sabotaging the efforts of the bismuths and other building gems. This ongoing assault of the colony was irritating to Pink Diamond, who was at her wits end. Her conversation with the others had only incensed her because they clearly didn’t understand what she was trying to do and they were trying to take control of her colony without the need to physically be there.

Well, she wasn’t about to let one rogue gem destroy everything she was trying to do.

That’s why she was forming a plan.

“My Diamond?”

Pink threw a look to her pearl, eyes narrowing in annoyance for the interruption.

“I…I apologize for disturbing you,” Pearl stammered. “But…might I suggest a new course of action in regard to Rose Quartz?”

“And what…would a _pearl_ know anything about what’s going on?” Pink sneered. With her mind split between Rose terrorizing her court and her seemingly failing experiment with the two-legs, her normally casual demeanor had turned, with more and more of her anger being directed outward to anyone that dared to bother her.

“My Diamond…”

“Say the wrong thing, Sapphire.”

Even Pink’s prized seer was no match for the leader’s growing tumultuous temper. “I believe Pearl’s suggestion may help in our…less than stellar tactics in regard to the rose quartz,” she replied.

Pink huffed. “What is it then?”

“Uh…well,” the servant stumbled. “Perhaps…perhaps it might be prudent to request an audience with the quartz. Her actions obviously have some sort of meaning behind them, so…there could be a possibly of…an understanding perhaps.”

Pink’s eye narrowed even further as she leaned ever closer to Pearl. “You want me to compromise with that…traitor?” she hissed.

“No!” Pearl cried, though in truth, a compromise would most likely resolve all of the issues going on. “Only just…if the two of you discussed things, perhaps you could to an accord. She is after all a quartz; a gem, such as Sapphire and myself. I can’t imagine she would continue to disrespect you. My Diamond.”

Pink’s eyes never waivered from the blue orbs of the pearl in front of her, even when those eyes looked away, first glancing at the sapphire, and then to stare down at her shoes.

“Very well,” the Diamond relented, taking another relaxed stance against her throne. “You aren’t the first person who’s suggested such a path to me.” Glancing at the thin gem, she continued with, “White Diamond also made mention of trying to speak to the…quartz, said it might smooth things over between us. It’s no surprise that one of her court would hold the same opinion.”

Both Pearl and Sapphire sighed in relief. Pink’s anger knew no bounds these days and they had already lost a few good gems to it as Rose’s campaign continued. “Pearl,” she ordered. “Send word to all gems to deliver the message of a meeting should they see Rose Quartz. There is a new area that was discovered, a site which would make a lovely temple; we shall meet there when the day is new, at the start of a new cycle here.”

“Right away, my Diamond.” Pearl gave the Diamond salute before rushing out to send the message across, leaving Pink and her sapphire.

“So this is to be it then?”

Sapphire nodded. “I believe so, my Diamond,” the seer replied. “I see you meeting with Rose Quartz and when she least expects it, your jaspers and amethysts will capture her, putting an end to this needless conflict.”

“Good,” Pink said. “Once Pearl returns from her task, I want you to inform all of the soldiers of their mission. I’ll ensure we get some support from Yellow’s troops as well. This will be the last day of Rose Quartz’s life."

 

* * *

 

Rose Quartz stood amongst the grasslands of what would eventually be called the Korea Peninsula. The area seemed to be growing, as Rose noticed a few small villages along the way here. It was a new location for Rose, having never been here before and not finding a warp pad in the area, though she was sure that was in the works soon enough.

As she stood and observed the landscape, Rose thought over her actions over the past few centuries. She had thought trying to shut down construction had been the way to go, but not only was it taking longer than she was expecting, but it also didn’t seem to do anything. Yes, it slowed down production somewhat, but it wasn’t _halting_ the production. As soon as she destroyed an injector, another was put up; when one wall of a structure went down, the bismuths were quick to rebuild. It seemed all for naught; this wasn’t showing Pink anything and didn’t seem to be changing anyone’s mind about Earth.

While she was as equally suspicious as Pearl, Rose truly did hope this meeting would be productive. Pink needed to see and understand why the native species was important and why this planet was important; she knew it was a gem’s purpose to conquer other worlds, but that felt…wrong; it was wrong to take someone’s home away from them. And it was wrong to tie a gem to one specific role.

Take Pearl for instance – Rose could see so much potential within her. She was clearly intelligent, she had a wonderful memory, and she was willing to try new things, even when it was out of her comfort area. Even now, the servant was helping Rose try to make a difference here. Rose certainly couldn’t have gotten as far as she had without Pearl’s help.

Soon Rose’s contemplative thoughts were interrupted with the sounds of an approaching caravan, signaling that Pink was arriving with her entourage. Taking a deep amount of air, the way she had seen the two-legs do, and prepared for her audience.

Rose stood above on a slight edge that overlooked the area below. From there, she could easily see the approach of Pink’s palanquin, along with a number of jaspers and rubies that were leading the pack. Though she couldn’t be sure, Rose was fairly sure this wasn’t going to end well. “Pink Diamond!” she called, causing the caravan to stop. The ground troops glared menacingly up at the quartz, as the doors to the palanquin opened and out stepped Pink.

“Rose Quartz,” she replied, looking directly down at the gem. From where they stood, Pink was towered slightly over the gem on the ground. “It’s been some time. I feel we haven’t actually spoken since your turned on me.”

“You’ll forgive me,” the quartz said. “Destroying your destruction machines hasn’t left a lot of time for social interaction.”

“Do you know why I’ve summoned you here?”

“I’m hoping its because you realize what you’re doing to this planet and its inhabitants,” Rose said. “You have to stop! Every kindergarten, every injector brings the planet closer to destruction!”

“Yes!” Pink exclaimed. “Glorious, isn’t it? I don’t know what this planet has done to you, Rose, but at one time you held the same stirrings of power that the rest of us do. This planet and its people are beneath us and the only way for them to understand that is to show them the might of the gem empire. Do not forget who and what you are, 9FH! You are a gem! Not one of these puny, flesh bound gremlins; and the quicker you understand that, the better this will go.

“Now lay down your arms and come back with us. I’ll have you transferred back to the space station to watch over your precious two-legs and their abhorrent tiny ones.”

Materializing a shield on her right arm, Rose took a defensive stance. “I will fight for this planet,” she said. “And its people. You will not finish colonizing this planet. I _will_ stop you.”

“You will try,” Pink sneered. “And you will fail.” Turning to look down at her troops, she stated, “Only interfere after I’ve defeated her.”

“My Diamond?” asked one jasper, looking at one of the rubies.

“I will take care of this.” 

Rose’s eyes widened in surprise and horror. “What’re you doing?” she cried. “I thought you wanted to talk!”

“Talk?” Pink chuckled. “The last thing I want is to hear another word from you. You have been a pain in my side for far too long and I will not let you ruin everything I’ve tried to build with your foolish notions and delusional acts of malice.”

“Foolish and delusional!?” Rose shouted. “Look into the mirror, Pink!”

The Diamond looked at the gem in confusion. “Even your words are being effected by the inferior creatures here.” Pink wasted no time and raised her arm, her palm directed right at Rose. The gem wasn’t sure what would happen, but she wasn’t about to find out; instead, she threw her shield at the Diamond and drove for the ground.

Her movements were a bit to quick, causing her to roll off the ledge and land on the ground, almost exactly at Pink’s feet and in the direct sight of Pink’s soldiers.

Gems, as a conquering race, all had the ability to summon a weapon that would give them the advantage on the battlefield. And while the Diamonds were rarely ever on the grounds of battle, they too held power within them to show their might to their own gems. It was rare for a gem to enrage a Diamond so much they needed to tap into these powers, but Rose was quickly finding that she was setting a precedent for gem kind.

Pink’s power – which had recently been used to punish and condition the court in what information she accepted and wanted to hear – was inflicting massive amounts of damage to a gem’s very form and gem stone. It was essentially the equivalent of sucking out one’s soul, if gems had souls – which they didn’t – but a gem’s very being was held within their gems. And when that stone was damaged or shattered, then the gem ceased to be.

The rest of Pink’s court just stood and watched as their Diamond tried her best to decimate her former quartz, but the gem was as agile as she was frustrating. For the jaspers and rubies, they were eager to jump into battle, to give their Diamond an advantage by slowing down the gem. Pearl, for her part, had been just as surprised by this turn of events; she had honestly thought Pink had wanted to discuss things and ultimately, she and Rose would come to some sort of agreement.

She certainly didn’t expect or want this!

Thankfully, everyone’s focus was on the fight ahead, so it was easy for her to slip away from the palanquin, rounding the outside and disappearing in the brush.

This wasn’t exactly a fight, per se, as it was more or less Rose Quartz doing her best to avoid having her former Diamond try to shatter and Pink Diamond doing her utmost to destroy her former quartz. The evasion went on for several more moments, with neither Rose or Pink having any upper hand; in fact, to many of the ground troops, this fight seemed…worthless. Why wasn’t their Diamond calling on them to catch the rogue gem? Was she toying with her?

That must have been it because as soon as the thought seemed to echo across the troops, no sooner than they heard the familiar sounds of something entering the atmosphere. The fight halted as a small drop ship landed only a few feet away, opening to reveal several gems from the court of Yellow Diamond.

“Oh come on!” Rose exclaimed, looking at the newly arrived soldiers.

“My Diamond?” asked one of the pink jaspers.

“Your task is to obliterate the fugitive rose quartz,” Pink replied, smoothly, officially giving the word her own troops had been waiting for since arriving.

Rose shook her head. “You don’t have to do this!” she yelled.

“You’re right,” Pink said, smirking. “I don’t, but I _want_ to.”

The quartz nearly groaned in frustration. Everything she had tried to do, all the people and things she had tried to protect was moot; she was going to be captured and she was going to be shattered. The Earth, all the lovely things on it, would be turned into a gem colony; if they were lucky, some of the humans would go on to become servants like Pearl and would probably be treated just as badly or worse and instead of learning anything from them, the two-legged creatures would fade out the way former inhabitants of conquered worlds did.

Rose had lost and she knew it.

 

* * *

 

Ruby-1F4 Cut-4ND had been in Yellow Diamond’s court for only a few hundred years, but she was a proud soldier and gem, loyal to gem kind and her Diamond. When one of the lead agates had asked for volunteers in the name of Yellow to help with a resistance on the colony for Pink Diamond, she had jumped at the chance.

The life of a ruby on Homeworld and any of the adjoining colonies was straight forward – live for your Diamond, die for your Diamond. There was no greater glory than to fight in the name of your Diamond and in the name of the empire and for the first time ever, 4ND would have the glory of doing just that. So she and a number of other rubies, jaspers, amethysts, and citrines boarded a drop ship headed straight to Earth.

They had been quickly briefed – apparently this was a top secret mission that was eyes only and should any of them survive, they wouldn’t be able to tell _anyone_ about what they saw or did.

Then, standing in the middle of their drop ship, the lead citrine told them the story. A rogue rose quartz gem was trying to destroy everything Pink Diamond had built on the planet below. The gem had actually turned on her Diamond – there was of course speculation that she was obviously cracked or defective.

What kind of gem turns on their Diamond? On their own kind?

But speculation was all they could afford, as their mission was to take then rogue gem out and their service would be rewarded. 4ND couldn’t help it; she smiled. It would be enough to say that she was proud to fight in the name of Homeworld, but there were other perks to being noted and revered.

Having your own pearl.

Nothing said status and importance as having your own pearl and pearls were certainly fancy and attractive. Life would be so good – everyone knowing she was a part of the squad that took down some rogue gem, a pearl on her arm, willing to anything she said…

Yeah, that was the life.

So when the drop ship landed, 4ND was already out the door and on the ground of this strange new planet. She walked into a scene that would signify her rise in prominence…Pink Diamond stood proudly in front of her palanquin, her jaspers and rubies about to engage in battle; opposite of them was the lone rogue, a quartz of some type, dressed in a white dress and holding a shield.

The gem knew she was cornered, but she was going to fight to the end. And what an end it was going to be.

At least until odd beings appeared out of no where and started attacking _them_. Projectiles came flying through the air, a few hitting the ground in front of the ruby and a few others sailing over her head and striking the jaspers and citrines behind her.

It was all out chaos after that.

 

* * *

 

Just as Rose was trying to decide if she should stand and fight or just surrender and hope that the rest of her life would be somewhere away from Pink Diamond, a loud cry rang through the air. Looking up, the quartz was stunned to see members of the village tribe who had been helping her. They stood above her, shouting loudly and throwing their little wooden instruments.

She had seen them use these before, when they went hunting for food. And while she completely understood the need for it, she never the less didn’t care for it. It was just one creature hurting another and it always made her uncomfortable; these weren’t the first two-legs she knew that ate the larger creatures of the land, but she knew from experience she didn’t enjoy when they went hunting.

But now…now they were using their spears and bows to try and fight off the beings that were trying to invade their planet.

Oh, the poor fools!

Rose didn’t want them to fight, especially not against the gems; that’s why she was doing it. But she couldn’t deny that their entrance had done her a great favor – with all eyes off her, she could potentially escape and live to fight another day. However, Rose knew there may not _be_ another day – Pink had shown she wasn’t going to stop at nothing. Well, neither was Rose. She had been made to protect these creatures and protect them she would. At any cost. Picking up one of the crud weapons that had landed next to her, Rose readied herself for what was to come.

 

* * *

 

The land that would be known as the Korea Penisula would see many battles in its time. In the growing ages of humans, the kingdom of Gojoseon would begin. Dangun, son of the heir to Heaven Hwanung and the former bear turned human Ungnyeo, founded the kingdom, though in later years the mythology was called into question.

This is not the only story the descendants of Gojoseon have – there is one tale of strange, humanoid beings that also came from the sky and had technology that was far more advanced than anything the people had within the Bronze Age. These humanoids tried to take the planet Earth under their control, however one of their own – the rose as they called her – took an interest in humans and decided to fight for them and protect them from her people’s onslaught.

It was on the day of 산산히 부서지는 or sansanhi buseojineun that another war began. On this day, the rose was met with her leader, angry at having been denied the right to take and make the planet in her own image. The rose’s leader was immensely tall, twenty-five to fifty feet almost, and as she looked down on the rose, her troops began to advance. A ship, though in those days no one knew what the strange equipment was, landed and more of the humanoids rushed out. 

Gojoseon, though small, came to the rose’s aid, joining in her fight to protect their planet and themselves. As the tribe fought off her kind, the rose stood against her former leader – the rose was not a violent a person and tried to reason with the leader, but to no avail. She had no choice but to fight. Picking up an abandoned jangchang, the rose defended herself, even as her leader tried to attack. 

Pink light erupted from the leader’s hand and the rose dodged, weaved, and ducked to avoid it. Sometimes the light would hit other humanoids, making them curl inward, before disappearing with a puff of smoke; others would hit the humans, causing great cries of pain. The rose tried to distract the leader, drawing her away from the humans, but the leader never moved from her spot, seemingly beckoning the rose ever closer. 

Finally…the leader saw a weak point in the rose’s stance and she let loose another of her lights. It should have hit the rose, but she was quick and with her shield, she blocked the blast. It hit with force, causing the rose to stumble back and ricocheted back towards its owner, striking her. The leader was dumbfounded! She had been defeated! What? How!? But there was no time for contemplation, as she too bent over in pain and the next second, she was no more. 

The field of battle was silent. The humanoids weren’t sure what just happened. Their leader…gone? Those that were nearby quickly rushed to check and their screams could be heard through generations. The rose, who had not wanted to fight in the first place, was equally shocked. What had she done? She had not wanted this! Why could her people not see or understand? 

There is rarely time to grieve in war and especially on the battlefield. The people of the land wanted to rejoice, but they could see the anger rising within their enemy, so they began to flee, calling to the rose to get up, stand up. It was only after words from her 두 번째 명령 or du beonjjae myeonglyeong that the rose could finally move and fled into the lands of Gojoseon. 

This is what would start the Great War, a battle for the Earth itself and one that would last for many moons and generations. 

 

* * *

 

“My Diamond, the deed has been done.” 

Beryl-2G9 Cut 7AR grinned as her Diamond nodded in approval. It hadn’t been easy to sneak aboard the drop ship, especially considering she didn’t know much about Yellow’s court, but thankfully one of her skills was shapeshifting. As weapon manipulation was a trait possessed by all gems, so was shapeshifting. It was a useful tool for some, a waste for others, hence why only a few actually employed it. 

7AR was one of those, a secret operative that only investigated reports of gems that were reported as being suspicious or rogue. At most, these reports were just gems speaking out of turn and not being fast enough to keep their mouths shut; 7AR could count on her hand the number of times she actually needed to ‘take care’ of a defective gem who didn’t understand their place. 

The beryl’s mission here was quite simple – eliminate the threat to gem society. It was a tall order and honestly, beryl didn’t think the plan was all that sound, but events actually worked quite well in her favor. Because of the common near the palanquin, she had to actually move off several yards away so she wouldn’t be heard or discovered. 

“That is most excellent news. Congratulations on a successful mission; you have served me and our society to the highest.” 

“Thank you, my Diamond.” 

“It’s such a shame to lose such a gem as you.” 

7AR squinted into the communicator in confusion. “I’m sorry?” she asked, however she only got a blank screen that beeped once, then twice, and few more times. It was on the fourth beep that Beryl-2G9 Cut 7AR knew she was about to be shattered. 

 

* * *

 

_**“Attention. It is with deep sadness to announce that our once glorious Pink Diamond…has been shattered. The culprit has been identified as Rose Quartz-1C2F Cut-9FH. Our Great Diamond Authority has issued the order to shatter the traitor on sight. For now, we shall remember our fallen Diamond and continue to build the colony she died for, in her name.”** _

The announcement went out through all of Homeworld, stunning gems of all types who heard the call. Pink Diamond…shattered? By one of the gems she created? The pall over the main hub was shock, surprise, and anger. A gem… _a gem_ had shattered one of their matriarchs. How had this happened? Suspicions were immediately cast around to other gems – who would have the nerve to disrupt their society? Why would a gem do such a thing? Was it a defect? Was something that only affected the rose quartz gems?

Could it spread to others?

The task now was to speak to those that were there. Yellow Diamond had immediately demanded Pink’s court and her own soldiers return to Homeworld for interrogation. She didn’t bother to separate them, just ushered them all into one room and commanded they tell her everything – how it happened, why it happened, where were they when Pink was…

Millennia later, though she would never say, Yellow did feel a tad bit of responsibility for her actions that day. She was upset, a contradiction of her normal controlled and contained self. It was nothing in comparison to Blue, whose emotional outbursts had affected five of the colonies around her own central hub. Gems in her court and the surrounding colonies cried uncontrollable for days on end, reflecting the feelings of their Diamond.

Yellow stood before the group of gems and when they didn’t give her the answers she wanted to hear, she shattered them all, taking their shards and crushing them under boots until there was nothing but dust lining her chamber floor. Thirty-four gems in total were extinguished that day and the only reason the thirty-fifth had managed to survive was because she had been assigned elsewhere, to the forge with many of the troops who wanted to fight in honor of their fallen Diamond.

For White Diamond, the event was one that heightened suspicion around gem, especially those of quartz gems, but it also served to strengthen the resolve of their military might. Yellow was calling for more soldiers to be incubated and the elder matriarch could only nod and allow the act to happen. She did inquire, however, about Pink’s pearl.

Yellow admitted that she had been too enraged to notice, however she could remember seeing any white powder mixed in with the pinks and yellows of the gems shattered. White nodded before heading back into her own chambers. She had been curious and a bit concerned when she hadn’t seen her pearl among those in Pink’s former court, but perhaps she was one of those gems on the planet.

“Forgive the intrusion, my Diamond,” the white agate replied, bowing as she saw her Diamond. White gestured for the agate to continue. “I just received the report from Earth colony – while we did find some gems on the ground and a few that were shattered, I regret to inform you that we have not found the pearl you’re looking for.”

White hummed in contemplation. _Interesting._

“What do you think may have happened to it?” White asked quietly.

“Honestly?” the agate questioned, before clearing her throat. “Permission to speak freely, my Diamond?”

“Proceed.”

“There have been…rumors from those gems that were on the planet,” the agate replied. “That they saw the pearl go with the traitor.”

“Do you believe that?”

The agate huffed. “I believe the traitor Rose Quartz abducted the pearl,” she said. “Most likely to get secrets of the court and probably our society from here. But it’s a pearl, so I’m more than confident no information was exchanged and she’s shattered on that miserable planet somewhere.”

White nodded, distractedly. “That will be all, Agate.” The Diamond listened as the gem hurried off, determined to gain some measure of control in a situation that seemed to have spiraled out of it. This was indeed a strange turn of events – who would have thought it possible for a gem to turn their back on their own kind, their own society? Who would have thought a Diamond could fall to such…mediocrity?

The matriarch sighed. Sometimes the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one and she could not afford to have one errant gem changing the course of their history. “Ah, but it is the burden of command,” she whispered to herself. It was a shame; such potential, completely wasted. Hopefully this act would revitalize the people into action and the cause of their turmoil would quickly be apprehended or destroyed.

She just hated having to lose a pearl in the process. The thinner gem was starting to turn into White’s favorite.

 

* * *

 

It felt like they had run for hours and maybe they had, as time really held no meaning to a gem. But to Pearl, even on this strange planet, time seemed to be an important factor in the life of the Earth and its people.

When she had slipped away from the palanquin, Pearl hadn’t gone very far, just a few feet away, hiding within the tall blades of plant life that littered the ground. Everyone was focused on the fight with Rose and Pink Diamond, so noticing the lone pearl wasn’t very high on their radar. It was only when Pink doubled over and the familiar puff of air that surrounded a gem when they were poofed that the activity stopped; and when the closest jasper noticed the shards on the ground…

Pearl didn’t hesitate – she immediately rushed to Rose, begging, pleading with her to get up and run, her friends from the village doing exactly the same thing as they fled past. They had gotten a head start, but they could still hear the soldiers behind them, yelling insults at them. It was then Pearl truly understood the benefits to the planet – Rose was familiar with it, their pursuers were not.

Similar to the other side of the planet, there were crests, hills, and of course caves, one of which the two gems ducked into, while the combined soldiers of both Pink and Yellow ran in an opposite direction, their shouts ringing in the ears of the gems that were hidden. It took some time before Pearl felt even a shred of confidence to peer outside the cave entrance. She looked left, then right, then left again, but she couldn’t hear or see anyone.

“I think we managed to lose them,” she replied, walking back inside to where Rose sat on the ground. The thin gem tsked at her, a slight reprimand for sitting on the dirty floor, in a beautiful gown, and most likely sitting on whatever passed for chairs these days, but soon her lips turned at the corners in a frown. Rose sat, head bowed, and trembling slightly.

She was crying, Pearl realized and she quickly went over to deliver some measure of comfort. “Rose?”

The quartz gem was shaking her head. “I’m sorry,” she groaned. “I’m so so sorry.”

“Rose, I…”

“I never meant to hurt her!” Rose cried, causing Pearl to immediately look towards the entrance of their hiding place. “Please, Pearl, you have to believe me!”

“I do!” the servant insisted, kneeling in front of the gem. “I know you never wanted this. This wasn’t at all what you had expected; it’s certainly not what I expected.”

Rose looked up for a second before bursting into even harder and louder sobs. Pearl, taken aback, did the only thing she could think of – throwing her arms around the gem, in more of a gesture to try and keep her quiet than any affection. She remembered seeing the two-legs do this, especially when Pink had robbed them of one of their village mates.

“I’m sorry, Rose,” she whispered. “This is all my fault.”

“What?”

Pulling back, the quartz stared into the blue eyes of her friend. “How is any of this your fault?” she asked, puzzled.

“I…I was the one that suggested you meet with Pink,” she stumbled. “I should’ve known she would try what she did, but…well…I was hoping for a better outcome, just as you were.”

“Oh Pearl,” Rose sighed. “You were told to do so by White Diamond. And you saw a way to make that work in our favor. None of this is your fault. In fact, I should be apologizing to _you_ ; you saved me, in front of everyone.”

Pearl’s cheeks went warm. She hadn’t thought of it like that, only that Rose was in trouble and she needed to be out of the way. The aftermath however, now that she thought about it, was grim. “I did do that, didn’t I?” she asked, awe in her voice. “I guess that makes me a fugitive like you.”

“No,” Rose replied. “I’ve hurt enough people with this…foolhardy quest of mine.”

Pearl looked at her. “You’re giving up?”

“No,” said the quartz. “But you are. Once everything is quiet, you’ll head back to Pink’s camp.”

“Wait, what?”

“Tell them I kidnapped you…”

“Rose.”

 “And you managed to get away. Then…”

“Rose.”

The quartz stopped speaking, only because of the forceful way Pearl had said her name and was looking at her sternly.

“I’m not going back.”

“Excuse me?”

“I said,” Pearl repeated. She straightened her posture, summoning all the courage and confidence she had seen Rose wield. “I said I’m not going back. I’m a _pearl_ , Rose; you know exactly what would happen if I were to go back. And even if I managed to avoid being shattered, it’s not like I’d be hailed as the gem who was kidnapped by Rose Quartz. I’d be just another pearl.

“But…but if I stayed with you, maybe…maybe I could be _more_ than just a pearl?”

Rose’s face, once red and full of sorrow, now grew to include joy and…pride. “Oh my Pearl,” she whispered, taking Pearl’s face in her hands. “You _are_ more than just a pearl. And to be honest, I’m glad I have you by my side. I wouldn’t have gotten this far without you.”

“Oh!” Pearl giggled. “That…you mustn’t…”

“I must and I will,” the quartz said, smiling. “You are truly a marvel and better still, you’re a true friend.”

There was that word again. _Friend_. Pearl would need to ask what exactly that meant, but it seem clear there was affection that came with it. Rose was friend to those on the planet and they were friend to her. And so was Pearl.

“That’s why I hate to ask this of you.”

Pearl’s thoughts were interrupted, causing her focus to return to Rose. “Do you…” the quartz asked. “Did you see everything that happened? Earlier?”

Neither had the heart to state the exact event, but they knew what the larger gem meant. Pearl nodded. “I think it might be better if I just erased…”

“No, wait,” Rose whispered, hands dropping from the thin gem’s face and landing in her lap. “You have to keep it. You don’t have to bring it up again, but the memory has to remain.”

“Why?”

Rose sighed. “Because this is the point of no return,” she said. Pearl gave her a look. “It’s a saying from the two-legs,” she elaborated. “It means we’ve reached a point where there’s no turning back from what our forward path will be. After this, Homeworld and the Diamonds will more determined than ever to turn this planet into a colony, which means _we_ need to be more determined than ever to stop that from happening.

“But it shouldn’t have to end like this,” Rose continued. “I got overconfident and sloppy and people were shattered because of it. I don’t ever want this to happen again. From now on, we have to find better ways to protect this planet, without sacrificing anyone else if we can help it.”

Rose had never wanted to hurt anyone. She just wanted Pink Diamond to leave the Earth be or at least be willing to find ways they could live among the natives in peaceful coexistence. And it had led her to this. It wasn’t so much that she was a fugitive, it was more than she had taken a life; something she had seen gems and even Pink do on too many occasions.

“We’re Crystal Gems, Pearl,” Rose declared. “We’re going to be better than Homeworld believes we can be.”

“We’re who now?” asked the servant.

“The Crystal Gems,” the quartz giggled. “That’s what I was calling myself, but it sounds much better when there’s more than one person.”

“The Crystal Gems?” Pearl asked, though her lips were quirked in a bit of a grin. “You do know that’s a bit redundant, don’t you? I mean, we’re gems from the Crystal System, so in essence we really _are_ crystal system gems.”

Rose poked her in the side, which caused them both to laugh. “It doesn’t have to make sense,” she giggled. “But that’s why it’s perfect. We’re the Crystal Gems and we are the protectors of this planet.”

“We are the Crystal Gems,” Pearl said, trying it on her tongue. It didn’t sound as strange now.

“We are the Crystal Gems,” Rose repeated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried finding as much as I could about the history of Korea before the official splitting in 1948, so some of the weapons mentioned may be a little off, but I tried to get as close to my thoughts on this time period as possible. The jangchang was a very long spear, which could be used to pow the field or as a weapon.
> 
> 산산히 부서지는 quite literally means 'shattering' while 두 번째 명령 means second in command.
> 
> In regards to Eyeball (4ND), her comments about owning a pearl (Bubbled) were super creepy, but probably something shared among those who are normally not given pearls due to status. I kinda wanted to reflect that this wasn't just something that popped in her mind as she was about to chisel away at Steven's gem.


	4. Part IV: The Fusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the aftermath of fleeing their Diamond's court and meeting the rebel leader Rose Quartz and the Renegade Pearl, former soldier Ruby and former diplomatic aristocrat Sapphire must learn more about their hosts, their plans, and each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here! We! Go! I hope everyone had a great holiday and Happy 2018! December 2016, I finished my binge of Bob's Burgers and decided I would watch that show YouTube kept popping scenes from and that, friends, was a show called Steven Universe. I managed to get through the entire series in time for the Steven's Dream Arc that premiered in January 2017.
> 
> And here we are, with a new special (vindication is mine!) and I'm knee deep in a series that I came up with nearly a year ago and wasn't even sure I'd write. But friends...here we are - chapter 4 in story number 9. So sorry for the lateness, y'all!
> 
> As you can see, this chapter is all about your favorite fusion and mine, GARNET! BUT it's really not about Garnet per se, just the loveable, bickering old married couple that make her up. If you wanted all the love that is Rupphire, then this is the chapter for you.

_150 years later_

 

For nearly five hundred years, the proposed Earth colony had been under constant contested attacks between the hierarchy of the remaining Diamonds and the rebellious traitors known as the Crystal Gems.

A hundred and fifty years earlier, the leader of the Crystal Gems had done the unthinkable – she had led an attack on the colony’s leader, Pink Diamond, and had shattered her, in front of her entire court and foot soldiers sent by her military counterpart Yellow Diamond. The line had been drawn in the sand – the act was a clear case of treason and now, all of Homeworld was aware of the rose quartz gem who had turned her back on her Diamond and her own kind.

It seemed Rose Quartz was able to be everywhere – when a new Kindergarten was being built, she was there; when a new spire was being put up, she was there; when any gem installation was even thought of being constructed, she was there.

And she wasn’t alone.

No one knew where she came from, but always by Rose Quartz’s side was… _a pearl_. It was a concept that even the lowest and newest ruby couldn’t understand – it would be one thing if the pearl was doing the quartz’s bidding (which most thought she was anyway) and it would be understandable if she was holding on to the traitor’s stuff, but she wasn’t. If anything, the pearl was _worse_ than Rose Quartz.

The pearl seemed to have no master and didn’t take orders from the gem she followed; she also knew and understood _combat_ , something no ordinary pearl would or _should_ know. She always carried two swords with her, using them as though she had been…trained to do so; she was also _ruthless_. No gem that came across her left a fight unscathed, usually being reduced to their gem and only reappearing back at the designated base.

Even now, with her reputation known very well on Earth colony, the sight of her still rendered those who fought for the side of Homeworld mute with surprise. She was a renegade pearl.

And she was terrifying.

With as much damage as the two were delivering, most were under the assumption that there were more traitors, either on Earth itself or somewhere nearby. The only logical explanation was the group was obviously getting help from the natural inhabitants of the planet; these two-legged creatures had also shown that they would not cow down to their true leaders. It was actually an ongoing debate between both Yellow and White Diamond, on whether or not they should exterminate the planet while they could, regardless if Pink had already begun to colonize the planet.

White wanted to wipe the planet clean and start all over again, once the troublesome creatures below were disposed of; Yellow just wanted to be rid of the planet completely. Blue Diamond suffered quietly, letting her anger bubble up inside of her. She almost sided with Yellow – why keep a planet where one of their own had been so callously struck down? Why try to build a colony that should’ve gone to their youngest monarch?

While Yellow and White argued over specifics, she was finding alternative ways to get revenge on Rose Quartz and that miserable planet. As a Diamond of her position, Blue was widely versed in the delicate balance between diplomacy and subterfuge; it was the reason she oversaw the development of sapphires and aquamarines. Both were extremely powerful – sapphires could see future events, while aquamarines were masters of learning, surveying, and gathering.

Her court of sapphires was the first she went to, ordering them to find any means necessary on capturing Rose Quartz. The problem with precognition is it’s not an exact science – while fate can be seen and directed, ensuring that the vision of the outcome you want is the one you _see_ is tricky. Even with a court of seven sapphires to do her bidding, it took one hundred and fifty years before one of them actually had a vision of what would happen.

It was from Sapphire, 5G9 Cut 3MH, who had gotten the vision almost out of nowhere – she was on an arena in the sky and she was speaking to Blue Diamond. Suddenly, the rebels revealed themselves, dropping from the sky and attacking the court – the renegade made short work of the gems that were supposed to protect their Diamond, while the traitor quartz disrupted the fusion of her ruby guards.

She stood facing the renegade pearl and then her vision switched to watching as the rebels were being taken into custody. She wouldn’t have her own point of view until she regenerated within her private suite, back on Homeworld. The gems who had been poofed by the rebels were restored after a few hours and the rebels were being held within the military cell block in Yellow’s military district.

The vision was extremely clear and disorientating, as most were. They could easily drain even the most prolific of seers and 3MH was no exception. She was still considered young, even after four hundred and twelve years; but even as the youngest seer in the court, Sapphire was still highly regarded among seers. Unlike her counterparts, 3MH was able to ‘see’ much further than any other of her gem type.

But as with all spectacular advantages, there were the downsides – her paths of fate were besieged with an overwhelming amount of possibilities that swarm before her, often confusing blips of things that would happen once they formed into cohesion. But once they did, the path was clear and set.

It’s what made her an extremely important gem and part of why she was Blue Diamond’s favorite.

As soon as she had the vision, 3MH reported it immediately. Blue Diamond was already in route to Earth for other reasons, so 3MH would need to meet her there, but she couldn’t go unaccompanied – she was a sapphire, after all, a member of the elite and as such, a gem that was afforded with the best Homeworld could offer in terms of protection.

No elite gem went anywhere off-world without protection and this was a standard escort mission, so 3MH would only have the pleasure of 3 ruby guards instead of the normal and unnecessary legion of guards she was used to. Not that it really mattered – sapphires weren’t known to speak to anyone unless to give directions and most gems knew not to disturb them, least their visions be interrupted.

It was a serene and solitary life, at some points lonely, but those feelings had to be put aside in order to perform her duties to the best of her ability. Sapphires, like most of the elite gems, were pampered – maybe more so – to ensure their happiness and comfort; the happier the seer, the more favorable the vision. 3MH never believed that notion and had soon come to realize that others of her gem type were just suppressing the horrific visions they saw, unless relevant to what their Diamond wished.

3MH returned from her thoughts, seeing the arrival of her ruby guards in her mind’s eye. They would leave soon on the transport to Earth, where she would deliver her vision in person to her Diamond and then, the rebels would be captured, and the ongoing nightmare of these Crystal Gems would be over forever.

 

* * *

 

“Blue Diamond, leave this planet! This colony will not be completed!”

Rose Quartz and the Renegade Pearl descended from the sky, landing on one of the pillars of the cloud arena. Though it had been five hundred years, Rose and Pearl hadn’t let up on their quest to free the Earth from Homeworld rule; in fact, Pearl had taken on an even deeper level of commitment to the cause, by taking up arms and learning about combat. It was the epitome of undesired traits for a pearl, but she wasn’t _just_ a pearl anymore.

Rose had of course encouraged her to learn more than she did, do more than she was told she could, and to _be_ more than she was ever thought to be – granted, Pearl’s interest in learning about combat and battle strategies could get a little intense, however it was the thinner gem’s plans that had them hitting installments with none the wiser until it was too late.

Pearl had become proficient in not only wielding one sword, but two, something even Rose couldn’t figure out. Despite the weapons of choice, the former servant still managed to fight with all the grace and agility afforded to her gem type; whenever she and Rose sparred, the larger gem often noted that watching the gem was like watching a choreographed dance, something so beautiful and lovely it was surprising to note that the gem was actually fighting off mobs of Homeworld gems.

It was that ferocity and dedication to the case that had elevated Pearl as a deranged and dangerous foe – a renegade gem who was going against what they had been programmed to do. Soon, the term would stick and the former pearl to the highest matriarch on Homeworld, who then became a triple spy, would soon only be known by a single name.

The Renegade Pearl.

And now, both of them were standing above the court of Blue Diamond on one of the pillars that stood overlooking the arena. Several things happened at once – Blue Diamond and her pearl quickly escaped within her palanquin; though she was a Diamond, there was real fear that was felt for gems both on Homeworld and Earth. One of these rebel gems had shattered _one Diamond_ and for all they knew, she was keen on shattering another or even _all of them_.

As the Diamond fled, her two jasper guards immediately jumped into the fray, meeting the renegade as she dashed towards them. It was only a second, but in that time, their forms immediately dissipated, their gems falling to the floor below. Two more quartz soldiers tried to rush her, to no avail as they met the same fate as their counterparts.

The ruby guards that had been assigned to the sapphire quickly ran ahead and did what many military gems are trained to do – fuse. Fusion was a gem technique used to combine the strengths of gems in to solidary form; done in the cases where Homeworld gems were being overrun by native inhabitants who refused to just be wiped out, same type gems could combine together – or fuse – their light constructs to form one being. This fusion could stand several feet tall, using their height to intimidate those smaller than they were; this was usually enough to stop whatever resistance was happening.

The three ruby guards quickly fused, creating a much larger ruby with all the increased traits of its counterparts. The fusion then turned its sights on the lone Rose Quartz, seemingly abandoned by her traitorous pearl, and completely without a weapon. This would be the easiest capture ever! She wasn’t even putting up a fight!

A smirk from the gem was the only warning they got – first they were roaring towards the fugitive quartz and the next they were imploding behind her, two of the rubies immediately being sent back inside their gem, leaving the third to fall in defeat. When she looked up and behind her, the renegade was already standing before the Grand Clarity.

And the seer wasn’t moving.

“Thank you, Ruby,” she said, serenely. “You did your best.”

Pearl stood before the sapphire, a small streak of pleasure coursing through her. She was never fond of sapphires in any court, so to be able to deliver the final blow to this one would be satisfying, even if the gem wasn’t doing anything in her power to move. As deserved as this would be, the former servant never truly enjoyed poofing gems, but it was a necessity sometimes; the best thing she could do was at least make it quick. Raising her right sword, Pearl prepared to strike.

What happened next had never happened before or since.

At least…not on Homeworld.

The lone ruby, the one who hadn’t been driven back into her gem, suddenly leapt from the floor and moved to tackle the sapphire, pushing her out of the way of the incoming attack. What should have been a simple, yet risky, rescue instead became something entirely new.

The ruby and the sapphire…fused.

“Wha…?” asked the being.

The entire court, including the rebels, stopped and stared in shock. The ruby and sapphire…fused? It…it was unheard of! Never before had two gems of different types dare to fuse with each other.

“What…” the being continued. “What is this?”

Pearl’s mouth had dropped open, much like those that surrounded her. She had of course seen gems fuse before, but never two different types. It was…it was…it was distracting, is what it was. Shaking herself clear of these thoughts, the renegade once again raised her arm to strike, but was again stopped.

“Wait,” Rose whispered, awed by the sight before them. As with the others, she had been surprised by the development and couldn’t help but stare at the new gem before them. “This is…” Her sentence was interrupted as she looked around at the enemy territory they currently stood in. Blue Diamond’s court had returned their attention on the duo, which meant it was time to leave. “Let’s go.”

“Uh…” Pearl stuttered, also seeing as the crowd began to turn on them. “Bye!”

The rebel leader and the renegade quickly made their escape, leaving the cloud arena and descending back to the Earth below. There were a set of caves that sat directly under the cloud arena and was hidden from the prying eyes of Homeworld gems; once again, none of the gems were ever concerned for the people or landmarks on the planet they were trying to destroy. It meant that the Crystal Gems pretty operated right under the noses of their former Diamonds.

“Oh my stars!” Pearl cried, looking over her shoulder to be sure they hadn’t been heard. As a precaution, they always tried to stay in different parts of the planet, as to not give gems an any advantage over following or finding them.

“Did you see that?” Rose exclaimed. “I’ve seen fusions before, but…”

“How was that even possible?” asked Pearl. “Gems of two types aren’t supposed to be _capable_ of fusing!”

“Clearly they did,” the rebel leader chuckle. There was a familiar twinkle in her eye, the same one she got when she saw something amazing on the planet or learned something new about the humans that occupied the land. “I do hope we’ll run into them again.”

“Well, I highly doubt that,” Pearl huffed, waving off Rose’s annoyed look. After a few hundred years together, the two had slid into an easy rapport of friendship, complete with the occasional bickering. “I’m being completely serious,” the former servant replied.

“There’s a high cost, as you know, for fusing with a gem that’s different from you, not to even mention the fact that it was a lone ruby and a _sapphire_. One guess as to what’s going to happen to at least _one_ of that combo.”

As much as Rose was against the idea, she had to concede to Pearl’s logic. Despite their goals on fighting against Homeworld, they _had_ once been members of the same ideals and rules. There was no way Blue Diamond would allow those two gems to leave her court unspoiled – at most, both would be punished for the act and at worst, the ruby would be shattered.

Rose sighed. “You’re right,” she said. “As always.” Giving her friend a look, she smiled. “Don’t you ever tired of being right?”

“No,” Pearl replied, matching the leader’s smile. “Not really.”

 

* * *

 

This…was not how things were supposed to go.

Sapphire 5G9, cut 3MH was deeply confused as to how things had gone from absolute certainty to this. Her visions had always been correct, had always been certain; fate was an inevitability, a constant. It never waivered and it never changed, but somehow…somehow, things had indeed _changed_.

And it all seemed to be tied to the ruby that was pacing and ranting around her.

The vision had been so clear and everything seemed to be going in the right direction – the rebels had attacked, they had dissipated the forms of six gems before the renegade had approached her. She should’ve been sent back into her gem and the rebels captured. Instead…instead, this ruby had…saved her.

For some strange reason, this ruby had risked her own life, jumping in front of the renegade in order to push her out of the way. And that’s when…

“Ugh! Why’d you do that!?” the ruby was shouting. “I have to get you back up there!”

“They were going to break you!” 3MH retorted, her voice shaky from nervousness.

“Who cares!?” the ruby exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. “There’s _tons_ of me!” Almost as though the planet was aware of the despair and conflict that was happening topside, the sky opened up and drops of liquid began to fall, until there was a steady downpour. “Gahh! What do we do now!?”

Once again, 3MH was brought up short. She had known every moment of her life – how it would happen and when. But because of this one ruby’s impulsive gesture, she had jumped the track of fate and everything from there on out was…wrong. Wrong and new and…frightening.

Debilitating.

Internally, she tried to desperately _see_ something, anything that could help her navigate this new role she had, herself, impulsively set. But nothing was showing. It was all blank – no visions, no path, no nothing. She couldn’t see, she couldn’t move. She was…

Frozen.

3MH hadn’t noticed the chunks of ice that were forming around her feet, but Ruby 6Y3, cut 7PF did. “Ah!” she cried in alarm. She may have been about three hundred years old, but 7PF was far from the newbie status of other rubies. However, that didn’t mean she knew everything there was to know – for instance, she had no idea what the heck was coming from the sky above and she wasn’t 100% sure if it was causing the ice around her Grand Clarity’s feet.

“We have to get you…” 7PF quickly went around the seer, wrapping her arms around the immobile gem, and lifting her from the ring of ice. “Out of here!” Cradling the blue gem in her arms, the ruby looked around, trying to find a path to follow. “Come on.”

The strange liquid continued to pour over the two, but as gems, they didn’t have to worry about getting the chills or illness, however it didn’t mean they didn’t have to forgo comfort. The ruby went across the landscape before passing, and then returning, to the mouth of a cave. Setting 3MH down, 7PF looked around. “Alright,” she said. “This should be good for now.”

3MH, or rather Sapphire, sat down. Looking up to her savior, she moved the bangs from her face, revealing a single large blue eye. “Thank you.”

7PH, or rather Ruby, glanced behind her to look at the gem. Ruby knew of sapphires – most gems did – and knew they were elite gems who were appointed to the court of the Diamonds. But she had never seen or met a sapphire and certainly, not one as pretty as the blue gem that sat before her. The sound of crackling under her feet snapped her from her staring, the result of her pyrokinesis kicking in and setting the dry brush around her on fire. Chuckling nervously, she quickly put the fire out, but decided that a fire might be the best thing for them.

A moment later, Ruby was able to get a small fire going, which was where Sapphire now sat, enjoying the warmth that was being provided. The seer couldn’t say the same for her rescuer, who was once again pacing in front of her; the guard was clearly distressed, pulling at her hair and groaning. “What kind of ruby am I supposed to be?” she cried.

“Look at this! It’s my fault you’re stranded here. How am I gonna save you?”

“You already did.”

“What!?”

“You already saved me,” Sapphire clarified. She thought that had been obvious – if not for Ruby’s actions, she would be regenerating within her gem right now, back in her private suite.

Ruby gave a little indignant huff before taking a seat on the other side of the fire. The two sat silently, the crackling of embers making the only sounds and giving their hideaway a orangish glow. The soldier couldn’t help but think about…what happened. They had fused…into…well, obviously a fusion, but…

It had been different. _They_ had been different. Ruby had fused before, it was a standard procedure for any military gem to know how to fuse, but it was only to be done with gems of their own type. _Never_ different types of gems. That was…that was unheard of! At least…until they did it.

“I…” Sapphire began, thinking along the same lines. “I’ve seen gems fuse before, but I had no idea that’s what it felt like. I always thought…I never realized that fusion…that you’d disappear like that.”

Like Ruby, the blue gem had also been thinking about the fusion. As a sapphire, she never needed a reason to fuse; creating a larger sapphire wouldn’t give any more answers that a group and really, fusion was reserved for, well, the lower class. It was a tool for the grunts to use to help them secure a planet for the taking or sometimes during training, but that was it.

Having never experienced fusion, Sapphire had been surprised at the feelings that came with it. It felt like she was in a void, but it wasn’t scary or lonely; she could feel Ruby nearby, her presence a welcome comfort during something so…confusing. The biggest surprise however was that…Sapphire didn’t feel the disgust or shame she _should’ve_ felt.

Cross-gem fusions were unheard of and thus, never done and the state of the crowd around them boosted that feeling of…uncleanliness about the whole thing. That she, a sapphire, had been sullied by a no-name ruby and worse, that she had run away from those who could’ve helped her and purified her from the incident. No, Sapphire didn’t feel any of that.

She felt…she felt… _safe_. Secure.

“It’s never like that!” Ruby exclaimed, looking at her companion. How does one explain fusion to someone who’s never fused and worse, had their first fusion with someone they didn’t even know? “Whenever I’ve fused,” she continued. “It’s always just been me, but bigger, I…”

The soldier looked away, hoping to hide the slight blush on her face. Like Sapphire, the feelings of discomfort and horror at having fused with someone not of her gem type; if anything, she felt exactly the _opposite_. The normal nothingness of fusing with other gems had been replaced with something…something entirely new, but what that something was, Ruby didn’t know.

All she knew was that it had been different than anything she had experienced before or since.

“I’ve never had a third eye before,” she quietly admitted.

“I’ve never had more than one,” Sapphire piped up, a small smile on her face. “It was nice.”

Ruby smirked, the blush she had been previously trying to contain now very visible to her companion. “Yeah.”

The rest of the night the two were just lost in thought, unable to fully vocalize their feelings on everything that had happen. One could say the two gems were suffering from shock – after all, it wasn’t everyday you fuse with someone not of your status or gem type, not to mention the very fact that they had just, quite literally, ran from their Diamond’s court.

Ruby, not quite used to the quiet, decided to make a cursory sweep of the mouth of the cave, just to make sure there wasn’t anyone outside searching for them. The strange liquid was still falling from the sky, turning the landscape dark and gray; it was a stark contrast to what she was used to on Homeworld or even the outlining colonies. There, the colors were bright blues, yellows, whites, and in some cases, pink and it was light outside all the time. It was so strange, Ruby could’ve sworn they had arrived in the atmosphere when the Earth had been light, but now, it was dark.

“It’s such a strange sight, isn’t it?”

The soldier didn’t mean to jump, but she was certain Sapphire was still sitting behind her, admiring the fire. She hadn’t even heard the seer approach. Regaining her composure, Ruby cast a glance at the seer before turning back to the outside world. There was a brief flash of light off in the distance, accompanied by a low rumble; the two gems immediately stiffened, both assuming it was a transport or drop ship coming for them and only moments from landing right in front of them.

But after a few moments, nothing happened. The drops of liquid kept pouring, causing a hypnotic rhythm that seemed to calm and soothe the two. “It’s certainly different,” Ruby murmured, slowly answering the previous question.

“What happens now?”

And wasn’t that the prize-winning question? Ruby certainly didn’t know, she was just a military grunt. She had put them in this predicament in the first place – if she had just let the renegade…no. She couldn’t think that. If she could go back in time, she wouldn’t undo what had been done, at least not in the terms of saving Sapphire. She’d maybe stop the seer from rushing off with her in tow, but she could never, would never regret saving her.

Shrugging, Ruby said, “I don’t know. I’m sure Blue Diamond has a legion of gems out looking for us right now.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure,” Sapphire replied. While her escaping with Ruby had been completely unexpected, the blue gem wasn’t sure Blue would go out of her way to search for her or Ruby and if she _was_ , the end wouldn’t be good for either of them. “But now,” she continued, sending a smile Ruby’s way. “We have time to see the planet like you suggested.”

Ruby couldn’t help but huff at that. When she had said that, she had been thinking of Sapphire seeing the planet, with a group of heavily arms guards or maybe in the company of Blue Diamond; there was never the scenario of the two of them being stranded and on the run.

“This isn’t exactly what I had in mind,” she chuckled.

The two went back to watching what they would eventually come to learn was rain during a thunder storm. It was the start of something the two would enjoy much later in their budding friendship.

 

* * *

 

Morning came quicker than either gem thought possible, their night consisting of watching the liquid fall from the sky and wetting the ground. For their first night on the planet, the sights and sounds were interesting enough to just stay at the mouth of the cave, watching as the show being performed for them. On their first morning, Ruby lead Sapphire out of the cave and up a nearby hill, just as the sun was coming up in the sky, lighting it up with new vibrant colors new to the two gems.

This was the start of their new lives, of a new adventure neither of them had previously thought to sign up for, but as they made their way through the land, it was clear to both that it was an adventure they were enjoying. That first day became two and then ten and then twenty, as they walked across the Earth looking for…well, they didn’t really know. In hindsight, it probably would’ve been better had they actually set a direction to follow, but there were so many different things moving, it was hard to stay focused.

Take for instance the strange yellow and orange flying being that happened to hover around Sapphire one day. They never had anything like this on Homeworld and they definitely didn’t have the large green jumpy thing that used its tongue to catch the flying being. Earth was a strange and mystical planet, so different from what either had been exposed to on Homeworld or the other colonies.

Even their interactions with each other was uncommon. Sapphire especially thought this was what made their time here so interesting – she had never really spent time with a ruby or really any gem that was directly related to one of her visions. This ruby especially was fascinating – with one act, everything the seer had known was thrown off track and quite frankly, she wanted to know and understand _how_.

“Did you do this with other rubies?” she asked, one night after they had spent the day roaming through lush green country. They sat out in the open this time, situated around another Ruby created fire, if just to give some light in the darkness.

Ruby shrugged. “Not really,” she said. “I mean, we usually just trained or rough housed. Sometimes, if some of the quartzes weren’t doing anything, we’d have these sparring sessions. Those were kinda fun, I guess.” Looking at Sapphire, she asked, “Did you…did you do stuff? I mean, with other sapphires?”

The seer shook her head. “Sapphires rarely gather together,” she replied. “Due to our precognition abilities, sometimes being in close proximity can cause visions to…actually, I’m not sure what happens. In any case, sapphires are usually kept away from each other, unless called by our…the Diamonds.”

“So you didn’t go to those swanky elite parties we grunts always heard about?”

Sapphire looked at the guard in slight confusion. “What exactly is it you think we do all day?” she asked, curious as to what other social classes believed.

Ruby shrugged. “That you sit around and go to swanky parties,” she said.

“If only,” the seer said. “Well…technically, we do gather together to discuss…matters of the empire and these discussions are held within the higher spires. I wouldn’t necessarily call them ‘parties’ per se. More like…intellectual tactical meetings.” Sending a grin to the ruby, she said, “I wouldn’t exactly classify them as ‘fun’.”

These conversations went on as time went on, the two gems learning more about their lives when they had been on Homeworld. This was something else that wasn’t supposed to be – the classes were kept separate for a reason, to the point where elite gems never wondered about what the lower class gems did and lower class gems only sparingly questioned what it was their betters did.

As expected, it caused a gap between groups, making it easier for gems to do what they were told.

For Ruby and Sapphire, however, they were quickly finding common ground with each other and learning about the other gem they were currently, for better or worse, stuck with. Even though they were now on Earth, Ruby still held her protective instincts when it came to Sapphire, running ahead to prevent the seer from encountering danger, even going so far as to defend her from the strange creatures they seemed to encounter.

Sapphire of course thought it unnecessary, but appreciated the gesture none the less. There was something…endearing about the way the red gem seemed to leap into the unknown of the day, standing as tall as her short stature would allow; bravely throwing herself into danger just to protect a gem she didn’t even know. Actually, that last part troubled the seer – it was one thing to save her from an assassin’s blade, quite another to throw yourself at a seemingly harmless flying creature or even a small, fluffy one.

Ruby of course wasn’t just doing this out of a sense of duty – well she did, that’s what she was made for after all – but in time, she began to do so because…well, because Sapphire was nice. And treated her like she mattered. The seer always seemed so reserved and in their talks, it sounded like she was left to herself much of the time and that…that she seemed rather lonely. Ruby knew what that was like – she may have been surrounded by other rubies or quartzes, but it wasn’t like they were all friends, per se.

They joked around a little, but if push came to shove and one of them was told to poof or shatter the others, especially if by their Diamond, it would be done. There was only loyalty to the gempire and the Diamonds; nothing else. Ruby knew things would be different from here on out, so…why not give the seer a little something to be happy about? In fact, the guard was more than determined to get the blue gem to laugh while they had the chance.

What they could laugh about, she didn’t know, but she would find something.

With of the different topics the two discussed, there was one they _hadn’t_ brought up – that of their fusion. While they had mentioned it during their first real conversation that first night, they hadn’t mentioned it again in the days and upcoming months of travel. It was a strange thing, something that had been ingrained as taboo for both of them, but neither could still feel that way, not anymore.

But as much as they wanted to talk about it, they didn’t really know how. It wasn’t as though it had been…well, expected. It had just happened, out of nowhere, and on a spur of the moment decision. How does one discuss that?

Besides, there were bigger things to consider at the moment. They still had a reasonable fear that Blue Diamond’s minions were scouring the surface for them, not to mention that somewhere down here were the rebels. That of course didn’t begin to cover the strange creatures they had already encountered or the strange change of weather.

But they _should’ve_ had an advantage over all of it. Or at least Ruby thought so. Sapphire was a seer, after all, so surely she should have been able to steer them clear of any danger, right? The fact that she hadn’t was starting to grate on the soldier’s nerves. “Hey…Your Cl…Sapphire?” she stumbled. They weren’t on Homeworld, so titles were unnecessary, but it was still hard to change something that been embedded in your programming for hundreds of years.

“Yes?”

“We might be running into some dangerous ground,” Ruby stated. “It could be nice…an advantage, if we knew about those dangers before they happened.”

Ruby didn’t miss the way the seer stiffened at the statement, nor the drop in temperature. Sapphire knew what it was Ruby was asking and while in theory, the idea was sound, it was a request she could not meet. “I…” she began, looking away. “I had hoped you hadn’t noticed.”

“Notice what?” came the query.

“That I…” How could she explain? Even she didn’t understand the implications or complications that now met her, so explaining it to someone only vaguely aware of her purpose was difficult. “Please understand,” she whispered, so quiet Ruby had to move closer to even hear her. “I don’t want you to think that I’m purposefully not using my…it’s just…ever since we arrived, since we left…”

“Sapphire?”

“I haven’t been able to ‘see’,” the seer stated.

“What?” Ruby exclaimed.

“Usually, my visions come in waves,” the blue gem clarified. “But I haven’t had any since being on the planet. It’s not…unusual, but…it’s usually not like this.”

Ruby couldn’t help it. Her mouth dropped open. Sapphire…wasn’t receiving any visions? That didn’t seem possible and the seer even stated as such. “Are you saying…” she began, trembling at the true horror of what was happening. “That you can no longer see into the future? The very _purpose_ of your existence has been…erased? Because of _me_!?”

“What?” Sapphire asked, her eye widening under her bangs. Ruby thought…? “Ruby, why…?”

The soldier quickly scooted back away from the seer. “I’ve broken a sapphire,” she muttered, her voice trembling and her eyes on the verge of tears. “In the whole history of gem kind, I’m the only ruby who managed to completely rid a sapphire of their very important and very rare gift of sight! I managed to _break_ you!”

Sapphire was taken aback by the reaction. Ruby was taking this all wrong; surely this was just a…temporary setback. For all they knew, it was the planet that was interfering with her sight, no more, no less; but now Ruby thought she had somehow…taken that gift from her. She didn’t know what to do, what should she do? She wasn’t used to gems like this!

Tears were already streaming down the soldier’s face and when the seer reached out to try and comfort the red gem, she broke away, leaping to her feet and running off. And Sapphire was alone, once again, but this time on a planet she was unfamiliar with. Would Ruby return? What if she didn’t? This was a planet and most planets had miles and miles and miles of land that stretched across the surface. If Ruby were to leave, there was a pretty good chance, the two of them would never run into each other again.

Sapphire didn’t even notice that ice had now reached their campfire, freezing it and everything around her.

 

* * *

 

She wasn’t sure how long she had been gone, but it must have been a while for Sapphire to encase the ground around her with ice. Ruby winced, taking her first steps on the icy ground, seeing the hill behind the seer a neat sheet of ice. She had been trying to tread carefully, in order not to startle the gem, but Sapphire’s head popped up as soon as the guard drew near.

“You came back!”

Ruby raised an eyebrow at her. “Of course,” she said, as though any other option was available. Looking around at the frozen ground and hill, she smirked, “Nice display you’ve got here.”

She had been hoping for a laugh, maybe even a smirk, but instead, Sapphire just ducked her head deeper into her chest. Ruby burned a path towards the seer, taking a seat at the now cleared and warm space next to her. “I couldn’t leave you here by yourself,” she whispered, looking shyly at the blue gem. “I’ve already caused you enough trouble.”

Ruby had considered leaving, though not to escape on the planet. The thought of finding the area around the Cloud Arena had been tempting – she could easily just turn herself in, but not before pointing troops in the direction of where Sapphire was. It was Ruby who messed things up – for Sapphire, for Blue Diamond, for the gempire – so it had to be Ruby who suffered.

“Ruby, I’m so sorry.”

The guard looked at her in confusion. What did _she_ have to be sorry about?

“It’s my fault we’re down here on this planet,” Sapphire continued. “We wouldn’t be here if not for me.” Moving her bangs from her face, the seer looked at her former guard. “But I couldn’t just allow them to break you! Especially not when you risked your own life to save mine.”

Heat rose to Ruby’s cheeks, which had nothing to do with the warmth most rubies held within their being. Looking back at the seer, she held her gaze with her next words. “I’m sorry, Sapphire,” she whispered. “About causing you to lose your sight and all. It _was_ my fault -” She stopped the seer from interrupting. “But I want to thank you, too.”

The guard didn’t think the beautiful blue eye could get bigger, but Sapphire managed to wide it in the face of her gratitude. “Thank me?”

Ruby nodded. “Rubies are meant to fight,” she began. “So we come out of the ground knowing that any battle could be our last. We’re supposed to give our lives to Homeworld and our Diamond, but…” She looked away, embarrassed at admitting this one, inheirent weakness.

Swinging back to Sapphire, she said, “I didn’t want to be shattered. Even if it would’ve been for a good cause.”

“I didn’t want to retreat into my gem,” the seer whispered. “I know that’s what would’ve happened, but it doesn’t mean I wanted that future to play out. I’ve never had to do that. Retreat into my gem, I mean.”

“It’s not bad,” Ruby piped up, before blushing. “I mean, if you were scared, it’s not scary.”

“Have you had to go into your gem?”

The soldier nodded. “Just the once,” she said. “But it wasn’t scary or anything! It’s…it’s like a little quiet space, where you’re supposed to reform. I didn’t really spend that much time there; most military gems are only supposed to take a few moments cause we have to get back into a fight or a battle.”

Sapphire thought about it. She had never had to reform inside of her gem and here Ruby was, already having gone through one regeneration. Should she ask what the cause was? It was a…fascinatingly morbid conversation, but it just showed how much she didn’t really know about what other gems were doing while she had been set up in a lavish suite. How many other rubies had been pushed back into their gems because of skirmishes with other world inhabitants? How many had been put there by their own gem types? Their Diamond? These Crystal Gems?

“Hey.”

Her blue eye focused back to the ruby next to her. Their hands were close together, not touching, but Sapphire could still feel some of the heat that came from the guard’s presence. The ice that she had built up around her had begun to melt and at some point during her own story, Ruby had relit the fire before them.

“You don’t have to worry about that,” Ruby replied. “About having to go into your gem, because it’s not gonna happen. Not if I’m around. I’ll do everything I can to protect you.”

Sapphire’s first thought was to thank her, thank her for wanting to continue to help and watch over her, despite only knowing each other for such a short time. But she stopped short, hearing the truth underneath that statement. Rubies were meant for sacrifice and the seer couldn’t have that. Not with Ruby.

“But if you’re protecting me,” she asked. “Who’s protecting you?”

The question surprised the guard, not just of the question itself, but who it was coming from. Rubies didn’t really need protecting and to be honest, no one ever thought about protecting the smaller gems. They were meant to be disposable, that’s why there were tons of them. And Sapphire was an elite gem, someone far more important than she, and she was worried about protecting _her_?

Ruby chuckled, nervously. “You don’t have to worry about me,” she said. “I’m a ruby. I’m tough.”

Sapphire tried to meet the soldier’s relaxed smile, but inwardly she was resolved to prove her wrong. Ruby might not think it, but she could be hurt, obviously, and Sapphire didn’t think she wanted to see the guard being dissipated into her gem. At that moment, the seer resolved herself to protect Ruby as best as she could.

 

* * *

 

_Three months later_

It had been some time since a ruby and a sapphire had fled from the cloud arena above Earth. Time was relative for a gem, so while the native inhabitants were tending to crops or animals, looking to the sky and weather to help narrow down their timelines, said ruby and sapphire were exploring the strange planet they had decided to stay on.

The fear of Blue Diamond’s retribution was never far from their minds, but they hadn’t seen any of her soldiers or gems in the time they had been on land, so the two weren’t worried about them anymore. It didn’t mean they stayed in the area – no, they had both come to the agreement that distance was better, so their time had been spent moving westward, keeping in line with the cave faces they had found since that first night.

When it came to being stuck on an unfamiliar and possible hostile planet, Ruby couldn’t have asked for better company. Even with her lapse in addressing the seer by her proper title, Sapphire had never snapped at her. In fact, the blue gem had been quite pleasant this entire time; oh, she was a little distant at time, so it was hard to get a read on her, but overall, the soldier was finding herself in good company.

And the fact that she was easy on the eyes didn’t hurt either.

Sapphire was feeling the same way about Ruby – to be honest, she found the gem fascinating. She was so…emotional at times, it was amazing! Most days she always had an easy smile ready for the seer. She always seemed to tackle a challenge, either seen or imagined, with gusto, charging straight into battle (or harm’s way) without a care for her wellbeing. That was actually troubling to the blue gem, who always did her best to stop the ruby’s rush towards danger.

Sometimes Ruby would get so frustrated by a problem her very form would steam and little sparks of fire drifted from her feet. More than once the seer found her thoughts reflecting on how adorable the red gem could be. Mostly though, Ruby was extremely kind to her – it wasn’t to say that other gems hadn’t been kind to Sapphire, but those incidents had been because of who and what she was.

On Homeworld, she was 5G9, cut 3MH, just one of many – though rare – beings who were able to see future events. Her displeasure or unhappiness could cause a gem to be disciplined, could cause events to unfold in unfavorable ways for their Diamond. On Earth…she was just Sapphire. Even with her programming kicking in to address her properly, Ruby always spoke to her as though her thoughts were important.

Best of all, she didn’t dismiss her because of her lack of precognition. She still wasn’t clear on what happened or if she would ever receive a vision, but honestly…it was a relief. A relief to get through one moment from the next without being besieged with a flurry of images, events that would come to pass, positive and negative. It was…

Freeing.

In fact, both gems were feeling freer on the planet than they ever had in their hundreds of years of life. On Homeworld, their growing friendship wouldn’t have been tolerated, but down here, smiles towards each other didn’t need to be hidden or dismissed. They still hadn’t addressed what had happened on the arena in the clouds, but they wanted to.

Days were spent exploring the landscape, watching the differing and strange creatures that roamed around. They had heard about the natural inhabitants that Rose Quartz and her dangerous pearl were protecting, but so far, neither gem had seen the two-legged beings, but they did see many with four legs, six legs, and more. There were creatures who were frightened of them and creatures who frightened them, but regardless, they were incredible.

Nights were spent watching as the odd orb that hovered in the sky lower and be replaced by another strange orb. It didn’t take long for the two to realize that the first orb is what brought the light during the day and the second brought about the darkened night sky that was filled with stars. Both gems would lay in the short or tall, depending on where they were that day, green stalks that came from the ground and talk about their lives in the before times.

It was on this night that Ruby could hold her silence no longer. Every time she looked at Sapphire, she thought about what they had done, who they had ultimate made, and the guard couldn’t deny her feelings on the matter any longer. She wanted to bring that feeling back again, bring that person back again.

She wanted to fuse with Sapphire again.

Ruby knew her thinking was flawed – Sapphire was a _sapphire_ and she was a military grunt. They shouldn’t have fused in the first place, but they had and Ruby wanted to do it again, despite everything in her screaming at her to not even _think_ about it.

“Oh…um…” she tried to start. “Well, I just can’t stop thinking…”

The _about what we did_ seemed to go unmentioned, but was palpitable in the air. Sapphire obviously understood where the conversation was headed because she turned her to head to glance at her companion.

“So…um…” the blue gem answered, before turning back away. She was trying not to blush at the next statement she was about to say, not just about the subject, but that she had a strange satisfaction in knowing the answer. “You say I was different?”

Ruby nodded. She had fused before, she was the one with the experience, but what they had done, that…it just wasn’t the same. Ruby’s fusions were always a larger version of her – the same mind set, the same goals, a blank field within their minds that was just focused on accomplishing their mission. The fusion that she created with Sapphire… _everything_ was different.

That had to mean something, but what? “And you hadn’t before?”

“Of course not!” Sapphire exclaimed in surprise, an embarrassed blush rising on her cheeks. “When would I have ever?” Sapphire hadn’t meant to be accusing by the statement, just that she had never been in a position to need to fuse before, making Ruby the first gem she had done so with. But with what she knew about the soldier, she should’ve known the comment wouldn’t be met without some outburst.

Ruby was an idiot. A stupid, stupid idiot. Fusion wasn’t supposed to be some willy nilly thing gems did; it was done with a purpose and their fusion had no purpose and she had basically just jumped the poor seer from behind like some uncouth brute…no wonder most gems thought rubies were blockheads.

“I’m so sorry.”

“No, no,” Sapphire replied, looking at the gem. “Don’t be.” The seer knew none of this was Ruby’s fault and that there wasn’t anything to be at fault _for_. If anything, Sapphire was even _more_ curious about fusion after experiencing it than she had been seeing it and she couldn’t imagine exploring it further with any other gem. Maybe it was because Ruby was her first, but the seer was almost certain that wasn’t it; not completely.

There was something about Ruby, this particular Ruby, that was unlike other rubies Sapphire had met or was used to.

Ruby sat up in a huff, throwing her arms up. “And now you’re here forever!” she cried to the sky.

Sapphire sat up as well. “What about you?” she asked, causing Ruby to look at her in confusion.

“What about me?”

“Well, you’re here too,” Sapphire replied, as if it was obvious. Ruby was so worried about Sapphire, she hadn’t even thought to be worried about herself. Placing a gloved hand over the red one next to her, she said, “We’re here together.”

Wanting to put both of their fears out of the way, the seer suddenly hopped up, pulling Ruby with her and began to head toward a tree line. “Sapph?” The blue gem didn’t answer, at least with words, instead she began to hum a slow melody as she pulled the soldier further along. Ruby glanced around at their surroundings, instinctively looking for any hidden danger, but her focus quickly returned to the gem before her.

Without even knowing the song, the guard found herself humming along, reaching out to Sapphire at the same time she reached out to her. They both stopped, their gem hands hovering in front of each other, before Sapphire reversed course and placed hers on Ruby’s shoulder. The guard followed suit, laying a tentative hand at the seer’s waist.

It was a waltz, Ruby knew that much, but she wasn’t as experienced in that as much as Sapphire was. And wasn’t that funny? The two knew things the other didn’t and what they didn’t know, they explored together; like this song, this dance, this planet. Their steps were hesitant, but their humming seemed stronger than before, and that’s when their dancing became stronger as well.

The forest background was lovely – surrounded by trees, the shadows should’ve made the area dark and foreboding, but the moon shined down, almost giving the two a spotlight of their very own. Everything had been dark and foreboding around them – the dangers brought by the Crystal Gems, the crowd of angry onlookers, the threat of Ruby’s destruction, the consequences of Sapphires defection, and the confusion and ongoing threats faced on the planet below.

But they had found an unlikely ally and friend in the other – the bright spot in what would have otherwise been a very dark existence for both of them. Yes, they were most likely stranded here, but Sapphire had been right – they were there together and being together wasn’t a bad thing at all.

The two continued their dance, smiles filling their faces. It was easier now, as both were comfortable with the steps, with their movements, and more importantly, with each other. Ruby quickened their steps, Sapphire followed her lead. They were enjoying themselves. Ruby noted the smile on the seer’s face, something she enjoyed seeing, something she enjoyed trying to do; she wanted Sapphire to be happy.

Sapphire saw the same enjoyment on her companion. This was the first time she truly noticed Ruby’s eyes – they weren’t black or devoid of color as she had previously thought; no, they were a darker shade of red, a deep burgundy that seemed to shine when she was happy and fill with fire when angry. There was a playful grin that had formed on her lips and the seer vowed that she would try and make Ruby’s stay here pleasant.

Soon, their dance was more like turning in a circle before Ruby was lifting Sapphire and twirling her around, causing the seer to laugh in mirth. Before long, where they had been two gems – red and blue – was now one gem, a candy colored array of them both.

 

* * *

 

Newly reformed, the fusion stood, looking around at her surroundings. Everything was just so… _amazing_. The world looked completely different to her, to the gems that made her; where as Ruby had easily seen in two dimensions thanks to her two eyes, Sapphire’s was split to just the one. However, to make up for it, the blue gem’s precognition manifested itself as a third eye, giving the new fusion vision in _three_ dimensions.

She lifted one leg to take a step and nearly fell over. Okay…literally one step at a time, which proved to be even more difficult than imagined. Within her mind, two distinct feelings and voices were trying to direct the being on how to move and where to move.

_Just take one step._

_We **are** taking a step!_

_No, go left first!_

_No, right!_

Those first steps were more like a few stumbles that led from her spot to a nearby tree, which she gripped tightly in order to hold herself up. There were so many colors! Many more than her memories held, or rather the memories of Ruby and Sapphire. She was aware that she was a fusion and knew she was the fusion of a ruby and a sapphire, therefore, their memories combined to make new memories for _her_.

And there were a lot, but the one she focused on was where she had come into being the first time – the Cloud Arena. Sapphire standing passively awaiting to be sliced in two. Ruby leaping from the floor and pushing the seer out of the way. Their fusion coming into existence.

Before, she only had a few moments to survey who and what she was, but now she could finally look at herself. She was a patchwork, that was for sure – a mix of black, pink, and blue, one shoe on her right foot and nothing on her left. Lifting her hands, she examined the two gems that reside there – the familiar square cut of Ruby on her left and the triangle cut of Sapphire on the right.

Her colors reflected the gems who created her, the two personalities, colors, and styles colliding hard into one being; but while there was still confusion over what she was, there was an overwhelming sense of…serenity. Calm.

Happiness.

Why was she so happy? Was she _supposed_ to be happy?

The new fusion continued to walk around slowly, finally able to put one foot in front of the other without stumbling. She was getting the hang of this! She took a few more confident steps, a slight swagger coming to her – she had this. She was going to be the best fusion ever! – and then…

She fell.

She didn’t know what she tripped over or if her clumsiness was to blame, but the fusion was now rolling on the very hill she’d been exploring before landing in some kind of grove full of…what were these things called?

_Are you okay?_

_I’m fine. Are you okay?_

_Think so. Geez, that really hurt._

“Ow,” moaned the fusion, lifting her face from the ground and running a hand across the side of her head. Opening her eyes, she was met with something she hadn’t seen in months.

The tip of a sword.

“Ah!” the fusion cried, scooting back as far as she could go. “Don’t hurt her!” she continued before her face dissolved into confusion. “Don’t hurt…me?”

Following the point of the sword led to its owner, the very terrifying renegade who stood poised to finish what she had started on the Cloud Arena. “It’s you,” she murmured, finally realizing who had found. “The fusion…”

It had been several months since she and Rose had tried to drive off Blue Diamond and her court from Earth. It was supposed to be a simple raid, but that day had been marked by something incredible – two gems of different types had fused together. Pearl had been convinced that there was no way they’d ever see the two again, due to the very explosive reactions from the very court they had been in.

Pearl was convinced they wouldn’t see the two again – at the very least, the ruby of the duo had been shattered; at worst, _both_ the ruby and sapphire had been shattered. Either way, the renegade gem thought what they had seen had been a once in a lifetime sight. She never imagined the fusion they had seen would be stumbling into their newest hideout.

While Ruby and Sapphire had been making their way across the landscape and putting distance between themselves and Homeworld occupation, Rose and Pearl had been hitting various gem structures, defacing them, then rushing off to the next building. They had encountered only a few skirmishes, thankfully they could easily get around the rubies that stood guard or the bismuths who were too busy building and then _rebuilding_ after the destruction.

It wasn’t so much the spires and such that were the problem, it was the Kindergartens. While still small in number, Pearl knew the Diamonds weren’t going to stop at two or three Kindergartens on Earth and so far, she and Rose had managed to prevent the building of at least four, but it still meant the other two were in circulation. It almost seemed as though those two were the ones in heavy production, as though the Diamonds were well aware that building new ones was moot.

At present, the two rebels had found this cozy, hidden forest nook that seemed sheltered from the prying eyes of the outside world. The very fact that this newly created fusion had stumbled upon was not only a bit distressing, but remarkable.

“We didn’t mean to fuse!” the fusion cried, still panicked by the sight of the renegade pearl. Sapphire wasn’t truly afraid of her, but the gem wasn’t called terrifying for no reason; and, as a former loyal Homeworld gem, who knew how she saw their fusion?

“Well…” she continued, this time from Ruby. “Well, we did this time. We’ll unfuse!”

“We…we’ll…”

“No, no, please…”

And then from the shadows, was the actual leader of the rebellion. Neither component gem had really been able to see her clearly, with only their strongest memories being with the renegade, but seeing her now…seeing them _both_ was…surprising. Frightening.

“I’m glad to see you again,” the quartz replied, looking down at the fusion.

“I don’t upset you?” the fusion asked, nervously. Whenever she had been around others, she had not gotten the best reactions or reception. It was a wonder her components had wanted to fuse again in the first place; in fact, that was _why_ they had wanted to fuse again – there would be no persecution, no accusations, no crowd of angry onlookers…just them and their fusion.

“Who cares about how I feel?” Rose Quartz asked, enthusiastically, bending slightly to look the fusion in the eye. “How _you_ feel is bound to much more interesting.”

“How _I_ feel?” the fusion asked in confusion. She hadn’t really given it any thought, to be honest. She had just been in awe of her surroundings and had been trying to maneuver her new form that her feelings on, well, _being_ had been fleeting. “I feel…uh…” she began. “Lost…and scared…and happy.”

She did remember being happy. Why had she been so happy? Did this former quartz soldier know?

“W-why am I so sure that I’d rather be this than everything I was supposed to be?” she asked. “And that I’d rather do this than anything I was supposed to do?”

Both rebel gems smiled at the fusion. “Welcome to Earth,” Rose laughed.

“C-can you tell me!?” the fusion insisted, getting to her knees in order to be closer to the larger gem. She had so many questions! And right now, both of these gems were the only ones who had not only been there at her first forming, but didn’t seem to scorn her form. Both of her components had questions too, like –

“How was Ruby able to alter fate? Or, why was Sapphire willing to give up everything?”

The path of fate had been set and with one action, Ruby had disrupted it. It shouldn’t have happened, but did. But how? How could fate be changed when it was set in a constant motion?

Sapphire had everything – status, title, position – and she had thrown it all away in order to save one, no named ruby. Why would a high class gem like her make an impulsive move like that, especially when spontaneity had never been that gem type’s forte?

And then there was the most important question.

“W-what am I?”

She was a fusion, yes, but a new type of fusion. She wasn’t a sapphire and she wasn’t a ruby, so what _was_ she?

“No more questions,” Rose stated, grabbing the fusion’s hands and pulling her to her feet. “Don’t _ever_ question this. You already _are_ the answer.”

That cryptic statement only made the fusion even more confused, but it was said with such confidence. Could…could the rebels help her? She knew instinctively that her thought had to be wrong – they were the rebels, they had turned against gem kind, they were preventing the colonization of the planet.

But yet…

The rebels had also greeted her warmly, well, almost warmly if not for the pearl’s sword in their face. They hadn’t sneered or even laughed at her, if anything, they were actually willing to address _her_.

“I can only guess you stumbled your way here for obvious reasons,” the pearl replied, leaning slightly against her sword. “I can’t imagine Blue Diamond willingly let you two leave her court without incident.”

“She was going to break Ruby,” the fusion murmured, her tone indicating that one of her components was actually speaking through her. “And who knows what would’ve happened to Sapphire.”

“Then you’ve come to the right place,” smirked the quartz. “Anyone against Homeworld is a friend of ours. I’m sure you’ve been wandering around this place for a while and could use a rest. Come on, we made a camp a little ways inward.”

Both Rose and Pearl turned, heading back the direction they had come from, leaving the new fusion with little choice but to follow. She was still a little hesitant on her feet, something the larger of the two rebels recognized because she ended up slowing slightly to keep pace. “I’m Rose Quartz,” she said, sending another smile to the tall being. “In case you didn’t know.”

The fusion nodded, quickly. “Oh,” she said, a slight blush on her face. “I know.”

Rose only giggled, pointing at the lithe gem on the other side of her. “And that’s Pearl,” she said. “What should we call you?”

The fusion’s face scrunched in confusion. “Call me?” she asked.

“What do you want to be referred as?” Pearl clarified. “Your name?”

“My…name?”

The fusion stopped in her tracks. Her name? She hadn’t thought about that. She was still trying to figure out what she was and…really, _who_ she was? Her muddled mind was perplexed enough that she didn’t feel or see the light that was overtaking her until with a small pop, the fusion was gone and was replaced by the two smaller gems that made her.

“You didn’t tell me fusions could have names,” Sapphire replied, looking at her red counterpart across from her.

“I didn’t know they could!” Ruby exclaimed. “All of my fusions were just called, ‘big ruby’.”

“That’s a horrible name.”

Ruby frowned at the seer. “Don’t judge me,” she spat. “If you were a giant fusion, you’d be like…‘giant sapphire’ or something.”

“That’s equally terrible,” the seer stated. “In fact, that’s about ten times worse.”

The soldier crossed her arms in a huff, a small pout landing on her lips as she stared at Sapphire. If she was so smart, then _she_ could come up with a name, little miss naming…gem! Sapphire opened her mouth to apologize – she couldn’t help it, Ruby looked so adorable that she had to stifle a small giggle, least the red gem think she was making fun.

Instead, the seer’s own giggle was replaced by actual laughter, but it wasn’t coming from her or Ruby. Above them, both the rebel leader and her pearl were smiling widely at them. Throwing a look to her enforcer, Rose chuckled. “Now, who does that remind you of?” she asked. “You both must be great friends to tease and bicker like this.”

Instead of similar laughter the rebels thought they would hear, both Sapphire and Ruby blushed in embarrassment.

“We haven’t…”

“We’re not…”

“Wait,” Pearl asked, looking between the two in question. “How long have the two of you known each other?”

The blushing seemed to intensivify, with Ruby rubbing the back of her neck nervously. “Um…” she began. “Since the cloud arena? I’m…not really sure how long we’ve been on the planet, to be honest.”

That confession managed to stun both rebel gems. If these two were correct, that would mean they had only been acquainted for a few months at most; even Pearl and Rose had known each other for hundreds of years before they had slipped into their now familiar comradery. “Remarkable…” Rose murmured, a small smile still on her face.

“We had thought the two of you had some familiarity with each other,” Pearl stated, a thoughtful look on her face. “Given that you were able to fuse so quickly. Especially in light of that save your ruby tried to do, which was folly, I might add.”

Something about that irked Ruby. “Excuse me?”

“You’re excused,” Pearl replied, looking at the gem strangely. “Thought I’m not sure for what.”

“What you just said,” Ruby questioned, quickly getting to her feet. “That what I tried to do was ‘in folly’. What do you mean by that?”

“Just what it sounds like,” the lithe gem retorted. “You’re lucky you didn’t manage to get yourself hurt in the process. I would’ve sliced through you both.”

“Yeah,” Ruby huffed. “You continue to think that, but I’m not so easy to cut down. And in case you weren’t aware, you missed. Completely.”

The thin gem’s eyes widened a fraction. “That wasn’t a case of me missing,” she said, tightly. “Your action surprised me, is all, but mark my words, the two of you would’ve been headed back to Homeworld in your gems.”

The soldier took a few steps forward, until she was nearly toe to toe with the renegade. “Is that a threat?” she growled. A quick movement of her arm produced a gauntlet that formed on her left hand, causing Pearl to take a step back and point her sword at the smaller gem.

“Does it need to be?”

“Pearl.”

Rose’s voice was firm and thankfully was enough to get the lithe gem to lower her sword, though it did nothing to lessen the anger that was still deeply held within Ruby. “My apologies,” she replied. “As you can imagine, we don’t often have guests.”

“Homeworld guests, you mean,” Sapphire guessed, placing a calming hand on the soldier’s arm. It took a few moments, but eventually the summoned weapon dissipated from sight, though Ruby still kept her clinched fist by her side. “You have our gratitude, of course.” When she didn’t hear a confirmation, the seer gave the red arm a slight squeeze.

“Yes, of course,” Ruby growled out, her eyes fully trained on the gem with the sword.

“Well, I can see we won’t have a shortage of excitement,” Rose joked, sending a look to her pearl. “Or lack of protection. Anyway, come with me. It’s right this way.”

The quartet started up their walk again, this time with Rose leading the way and Pearl dropping to the rear. The action didn’t go unnoticed by Ruby, who tried to keep her eyes trained on the renegade, even as Sapphire was trying her best to make the red gem behave in front of their host.

The path they took lead deeper in the grove, but it led them to an open grove where a small camp was set up. Both Ruby and Sapphire were expecting to see several two-legged creatures that were supposedly helping the two dismantle most of the gem structures on Earth; there was even a thought that they had a few gems united under their banner, but the scene that greeted them was astonishing.

There was no one there.

The area was pretty much vacant, with exception to a small fire that was going in the center. Three wooden stumps were around it and various items the two smaller gems didn’t recognize.

“Where is everyone?” Ruby blurted, looking around the camp for any other sign of activity.

“Where is everyone?” Rose repeated, confused. She shared a look with the renegade, who slipped past the two and headed towards one of the stumps.

“Were you expecting someone?” the renegade asked.

“I was expecting the other Crystal Gems,” Ruby snarked.

“This is it,” Rose said, proudly, gesturing between herself and Pearl.

“You can’t be serious.”

“There has to be others,” Sapphire insisted.

“Why?” Pearl asked. “Why does there need to be other Crystal Gems?”

“For the amount of destruction you’ve caused!?” Ruby exclaimed.

“You’ve destroyed a number of buildings,” Sapphire added.

“Not to mention stopping the Kindergartens!”

“Which has created a lull in gem production,” the seer concluded.

The two rebels looked at them in a strange mix of awe and confusion. “Huh,” Rose replied, taking a glance at Pearl. “We’ve been wondering what Homeworld was saying about us…”

“But we never imagined it would be along those lines,” the renegade finished.

“Would you like to hear the story?” Rose asked. “The true story?”

“You mean, the story as you tell it,” Ruby huffed.

“She means the story of how things _actually_ happened,” retorted Pearl.

“Please,” Rose said. “It might…lessen any animosities you might have against us and…isn’t it far better to know the truth?”

Ruby looked at Sapphire. Sapphire looked at Ruby. If there was ever a time for Sapphire to have a vision of things to come, it was right then and there. They had, essentially, walked into the den of vicious creatures (they’d learn about the concept of vipers and lion’s dens later), gems they were supposed to be opposed against.

But…they had acted in the opposite way their Homeworld brethren had at the sight of their fusion, so maybe…

“We would like to hear your story,” Sapphire finally said. “And you are correct – it’s better to have some kind of truth, especially in this place.”

Rose nodded, leading the two to sit on the two available stumps while she took the other; Pearl, as expected, stood at the rebel’s left, the way one would expect a body guard to do. “I think I should start at the beginning…”

Rose, with occasional input from Pearl, told the two gems everything that had happened in the last five hundred years and then some. How they were members of Pink Diamond’s court, how Rose found a kinship with the native peoples of the planet and saw what a gem colonization would do, how she tried to reason with Pink to no avail and how Pink had been using and torturing the two-legged creatures.

That of course led to the description of the orbit station where both Rose and Pearl were convinced still held some of the remaining two-legged creatures. Ruby and Sapphire sat quietly listening, gauging if either of the two were lying to them, but it seemed clear that they weren’t. Neither smaller gem had been around during Pink Diamond’s brief reign, but upon their entry into Homeworld society, they had been told a tale. Or rather, a _different_ tale.

After Pink Diamond’s…shocking demise, all newly created gems were told how the rogue gem, Rose Quartz, had attacked her own Diamond. Every Homeworld gem considered Rose not only dangerous, but defective; she must have been to not only turn against her kind and beloved leader, but then to reduce herself to the protection of a lesser species was just…

It boggled the mind.

From the time new gems after Pink emerged, they were programmed to view Rose and her renegade Pearl as insurgents, dangerous criminals who were preventing the expansion and growth of the gempire. Gems were told how these ‘Crystal Gems’ were destroying every new spire, every temple, and every Kindergarten they came across. However, the reality was quite different.

While Pearl and Rose did go around putting a stop to the construction of new buildings, they hadn’t exactly _destroyed_ anything, other than the injectors being used for the Kindergartens. They always tried to do enough damage that construction and production was set back, giving them enough time to escape and carry on to the next site. Their attacks were always quick and the two tried their best not to hurt anyone, at most just poofing gems and sending them back into their gems.

Neither rebel discussed the day Pink Diamond was shattered, even when Ruby asked point blank if Rose had indeed done the act. “I think that’s enough for one night,” Pearl interjected, side stepping the question all together. The soldier didn’t miss the way the renegade seemed to stand taller next to her leader/possible owner and Sapphire hadn’t missed the sadness that washed over Rose’s face.

“The two of you are welcomed to stay here and with us for as long as you like,” Rose offered, standing, but seeing as both gems stiffened at that, she amended with, “You don’t have to, of course. For now, you can simply stay and rest; Pearl and I will go do a quick sweep of the area.”

“Rose…”

“They’ll be fine,” the leader interrupted, already knowing what her friend would say. Over these last hundred years, Pearl had gotten extremely protective and a bit paranoid when it came to Rose’s safety. While it could be endearing at times, others it drove the quartz crazy.

“I…yes,” Sapphire agreed. “We’ll be fine here. Thank you.”

The quartz nodded, before turning back the way they had originally come, Pearl reluctantly following. She did give the two one more glance before ultimately disappearing back down the passageway.

“What do you think?”

Sapphire gave the question some consideration before answering. “I believe they are sincere in wanting to help us,” she replied. “And I think their story rings true.” Turning to face her counterpart, she asked, “What about you?”

“What about me?”

It was clear the soldier was highly agitated – she had been remarkably still through the Crystal Gems’ story, but had begun to fidget when her question about Pink Diamond’s shattering went unanswered. Currently, she had been casting her gaze around the area, as though looking for hidden gems or a trap of some kind.

A gloved hand on her arm caused her to look at Sapphire. Even with her bangs covering her eye, Ruby knew the seer was staring intently. “Please Ruby,” she said. “I want to know.”

Ruby waited only a moment before blurting, “They’re lying. They _have_ to be. Do you honestly believe that the dreaded rebel force is _literally_ two people!? And that pearl! And Rose! They’re clearly defective, Sapphire! Why else would a gem turn on their Diamond like that?”

“Why else would two different gems be in a fusion?” Sapphire countered.

Ruby’s rant immediately ran into a stop. That…that wasn’t the same thing. Not at all! Yes, they had fused which was against Homeworld standards, but the first time had been an accident! The second time…not so much… “Sapphire, I…”

“I know,” the seer whispered, giving the red gem’s arm a squeeze. She knew Ruby hadn’t meant to imply anything with her statement, which was why Sapphire had to remind her that the two of them were just as much labeled ‘rebels’ as Rose and Pearl were. “But right now, they are our only allies and seem to have a better understanding of things here than we do.”

“I know,” Ruby conceded, shrinking in on herself. All of her instincts screamed at being in the base of the Crystal Gems and hearing these…these lies against their gempire. “I don’t trust them.”

“Then trust _me_ ,” Sapphire responded, causing Ruby to turn back to her. “If it turns out they could be trouble, then…then I will follow your lead, but for now, I don’t believe we have any other option in the matter.” It hurt to say that, especially if her precognition had been working correctly; she could have foreseen any upcoming danger, but for now…

For now, she would have to rely on her own instincts and that of her companion’s.

Another thought of course occurred to her. “I…I’d understand if you didn’t want to stay,” she whispered. “This…would be something completely…”

“I don’t,” Ruby interrupted. “I mean…I-I don’t want to go back to Homeworld.” She knew what she was saying was true; she actually didn’t want to go back to Homeworld, back to her duties, back to her life as a disposable pawn and…she certainly didn’t want to go anywhere that Sapphire wasn’t at. That last thought surprised her, but she wouldn’t deny it.

She had promised the seer she wouldn’t let anything happen to her and she was committed to that promise. And that meant she had to continue to fulfil her job as protector and bodyguard. It certainly had nothing to do with the gem’s...attractiveness. “And I do,” she continued, quietly, a blush creeping on to her face. “Trust you, I mean. If you think these rebels are okay…then I trust you.”

A weight Sapphire wasn’t even aware of suddenly lifted from her shoulders. The thought of staying on the planet without Ruby was…unthinkable; in their short time together, she found the red gem a great source of comfort in an unknown world and an unknown life. The seer didn’t know how to maneuver in a land without her precognition, she didn’t even know how to maneuver in anyway without fate directing her course.

“What do you think Rose Quartz meant?” she asked. “When she said we were the answer? Or why she thought our conversation remarkable?”

Ruby shrugged. “No idea,” she said. “Probably some weird rebel trick. How can a person be the answer to a series of complicated questions? Maybe it’s a code or something, I don’t know. ‘M just a stupid ruby.” The last part was muttered, but was obviously clear enough for Sapphire to hear because she grabbed Ruby’s hand and gave a quick squeeze.

“I don’t think you’re stupid.”

The soldier’s face grew even redder by the comment or maybe it was the lingering way Sapphire held her hand, she didn’t know. What she did know was that whatever the seer thought best was the course they would follow and Ruby would do her best to keep them both out of trouble. This was going to be their lives now and the two gems wanted to take advantage of it.

 

* * *

 

_Three years later_

Garnet hit the ground hard, opening her eyes after the initial impact, and letting out a small ‘ow’. She could hear her opponent chuckling above her, circling around her like one of those carnivorous birds that tended to fly overhead.

“You’re not giving up so easily, are you?” Pearl taunted, a smirk growing on her face when she saw the annoyed and determined one that landed on the fusion’s.

It had been a few rotations since the fusion known as Garnet had stumbled upon the hideout of the Crystal Gems, feeling lost and confused as to the newness of her being. Ruby and Sapphire, the components that created her, had been equally worried, as their trek across the new lands of Earth had only been to escape whatever punishment could await them should Homeworld find them.

Upon the decision to trust the rebellious former Homeworld gem, the quartet had set about surviving and of course, upholding the promise of protection for Earth. The former soldier and former diplomat began to learn more about the strange planet they had fled to, even meeting some of the two-legs Rose Quartz called friends; and as they learned about the planet, they learned more about each other.

And the one thing they learned was that they enjoyed being fused, they enjoyed being Garnet. That was the name of the fusion they created – tall, dark, with a combination of Ruby and Sapphire’s hair, and a strange mix of her components’ eye color – to the left was the deep burgundy of Ruby, while on the right was the baby blue of Sapphire, and a third centered above in a curious mix of both.

That one she actually kept closed most of the time, only using it for a deeper look at the wonderous around her. Other than that, she wasn’t really sure what the purpose of it was. Her appearance had changed as well – she had willed herself a better together outfit, though it still had mix of pink and dark blue and added a pink boot on her left leg. She absolutely stood out, that was for sure, but for her startling appearance, the fusion realized she made up for it in strength.

The strength that Ruby brought to the fusion seemed to have doubled and due to that, Rose and Pearl thought it important for her to learn how to defend herself.

It had taken some time – due to Ruby’s suspicious nature of the rebels – but the fusion, and her components, had decided to join in their case. Rose had presented their terms quite easily – the Crystal Gems were to protect the Earth from Homeworld and their emissaries and that protection covered everything from the plants to the two-legged beings that lived there.

It seemed a simple task, at least until the two took the fusion on their first run on one of the Kindergarten. Word of Rose Quartz and the Renegade Pearl had seemingly reached throughout all the Homeworld soldiers stationed on the Earth and while they were prepared for the two gems, they weren’t prepared for the sight of the fusion. It was a good distraction, but it couldn’t be sustained forever.

And, as one would imagine, the reactions began to irk Garnet.

That’s what led her to being upended by Pearl that day. The Renegade was as skillful as she was graceful – when she trained or sparred, she only used one sword, but even with one sword she was just as deadly as with two. Rose was proficient enough in sword play, but nowhere at the level Pearl seemed to be at and the rebel leader was more than happy to put the fusion in the servant’s capable hands.

Garnet soon discovered…she was not a sword person. She tried it, if just to learn how to dodge and maneuver in a fight. Despite only existing for a few cycles, Garnet seemed to naturally know her way around a fight, something that was most likely due to Ruby’s influence. But it was more than that – there were times when it seemed the fusion knew Pearl’s move before she made it, allowing her to dodge or parry a strike.

It wasn’t unheard of – talented fighters could easily manage to parry an attack and some fighters were known to telegraph their moves, making it easier to avoid them. Pearl and Rose had learned to be move flexible in their fighting technique and it was something that were trying to teach Garnet, who still relied on the brute strength and often times, emotional frustration when she had failed to miss an incoming attack or failed to land one.

“You’re not giving up so easily, are you?”

And Pearl’s taunting didn’t help, either. Instinctively, most likely from Sapphire, she knew the renegade was trying to antagonize her into attacking and the fusion could feel the anger building within. In all of their time, she had yet to get a win on Pearl and it was grating, humiliating even! The old thoughts welled up – she was half a ruby and she was being beaten by a pearl.

_A pearl!_

If the other rubies were to see this, if jaspers or quartzes were to see this…

Ruby would not have it!

Jumping to her feet, Garnet put up her fists, surprising Pearl when larger versions of Ruby’s gauntlets appeared on both hands; the fusion didn’t notice because she was burning with rage. Today was the last day the renegade beat her in combat! Pearl immediately saw the change and readied herself – normally, Garnet could hold her own, but sometimes she could be unstable. She and Rose didn’t know much about fusion, but there were interesting facets of watching their fusion go through life.

On a good day, Garnet was able to stay around for several days; on a bad day, whatever conflict brewed between Ruby and Sapphire kept the fusion from staying together for more than a few hours.

Garnet readied her stance and rushed forward. While Ruby was clearly the knowledgeable fighter in the duo, the fusion was able to use her second components powers as well, most notably her speed. The fact that rubies were naturally fast on their feet only added to the speed shown by Sapphire. Pearl expertly avoided the strike and was prepared for a counter, but none never came.

Instead of pressing her attack, Garnet stopped immediately. She couldn’t move, as if something was holding her in place.

“Garnet? Are you al-”

Pearl’s question was cut off when the fusion cried out suddenly. Both of her eyes were closed, however her third eye was wide and staring, as though in a trace.

Garnet didn’t know what was happening to her, only that she was getting images of –

_There were troops of jaspers, combing the area and coming closer to the newest hideaway they had found…_

_They were being enclosed by soldiers, their angry, sneering faces were crowded around her. “…you’ll wish you had never tried to escape.”_

_Rose and Pearl were being taken away…_

_There were troops of jaspers, combing the area and coming closer, but there was no one still in the camp. They had gotten away and the soldiers would find nothing._

_They were being enclosed by soldiers, but they fought them off, showing the growing might of the Crystal Gems._

In a burst of light, Ruby and Sapphire tumbled to the ground, both shocked and stunned by what they had just seen. “Ruby! Sapphire!” Pearl gasped, surprised to see the two before her. “Are you both alright?”

“Y-yes,” Sapphire wobbled, coming to her feet slowly. “Yes, we’re both fine.”

“What happened?”

“It-it was nothing,” the seer stated, shaking her head clear. She could literally _feel_ Ruby’s eyes on her, which made her decision for a hasty retreat all the more important and divisive. “I…would it be alright if we put our sparring session on hold?”

“I…of course,” the renegade replied, looking between the two. She didn’t know them as well as she did Rose, but you didn’t need to be a seer or one of those medicine people the two-legs employed to see something was obviously going on between the two smaller gems. “I was going to take a break anyway. Rose’s been gone for a bit longer than I like so…I was thinking of seeing what’s keeping her. It shouldn’t take long, we’ll return soon.”

Pearl nodded to the seer, who quickly turned and began to walk a short distance away, leaving her hot-headed counterpart to take her frustration out by slamming a fist into the ground. “I’d like to see you both standing when I return,” she quipped, walking past the ruby and out into the open. It wasn’t unusual for the two rebels to leave their newest recruit to hold down the fort, so to speak; if they did go on patrol, Ruby was most likely the one to go with, but they always tried their best to be Garnet.

However, Garnet was still too new with the world around her and while a part of her was annoyed at missing all of the action, another part of her understand – the rebels had gone undetected for several hundred years and they weren’t going to jeopardize that for a fight happy newbie.

That was why this sudden break was so surprising. Ruby and Sapphire were getting better at not only fusing, but staying fused; they could make it through a full seven cycles before they would pull themselves apart. It was still new territory for both of them – fusion usually meant sharing the same feelings and thoughts across same gem types; however in the smaller gems, their different personalities combined to make a strange mix.

As with any fusion, they could sense the other’s feelings and thoughts at moments, though it seemed there could be better control over what your fusion partner could sense. In this case, it wasn’t what Ruby had sensed, but what she had _seen_.

The former soldier watched as the seer walked away, barely acknowledging Pearl’s quip as she left. As soon as she did, however, Ruby was on her feet and charging after the blue gem and jumping ahead of her before she could really leave. “We saw something,” she stated, glaring at Sapphire. “I know we did. What was it?”

Sapphire looked away from the penetrating gaze. For the last few years, her precognition hadn’t so much as made a twinge and she was coming to the sad, but ultimately resigned fact that she very well may never have visions again. Until today. But it wasn’t the sudden reappearance of her visions that was alarming, it was the fact that she had been presented with so many.

A sapphire’s precognition was like a crashing wave on a beach or what humans would later describe as a hurricane – visions swirled around you, with one being thrown at you at varying intervals; this was what Sapphire was used to. What she wasn’t used to was the different _versions_ these visions held; when she ‘saw’, there was only one outcome, but now…

Now there were _several_.

“I never wanted you to see that,” she murmured, turning away. “To see the things I do.” Being in a fusion with Ruby, it had never occurred to either of them that one day those visions could be shared. Having precognition was not for the weak – they could overwhelm even the strongest of gems, which was why only one type was granted such a gift.

“Well, obviously it’s too late for that,” the red gem huffed. “So the best thing would be for you to tell me what it was you…what _we_ saw.”

Ruby was still working on the basis of what she had seen previously, so she had no idea that Sapphire’s vision had solidified into one once they were no longer Garnet. And that vision was worse than the previous ones. It was instinct to not say anything, to brush off Ruby’s concerns and keep the vision to herself, but if there was one thing the seer had learned about her former guard was that she was extremely persistent.

Sighing, Sapphire turned to look at Ruby. “This is the first time I’ve had my sight since coming here,” she whispered.

“I know,” Ruby said, taking a step closer. “So…that means something important must be happening, right?”

The seer hadn’t thought of it like, or rather, she hadn’t seen the optimism in the statement. “The Diamonds have sent several squadrons down to the planet.”

The statement wasn’t surprising, not really, but Ruby still reacted. Since joining the Crystal Gems, the quartet had viewed a few squads of military gems checking the area, looking for the group; it was a daily occurrence. “Okay,” she said, nodding. “That makes sense. This is the staging point for the rebels, their base is here, so of course they’d think Rose was here too…”

“No, Ruby, you don’t understand,” Sapphire replied. “They aren’t coming here to look for Rose and Pearl; they’re looking for _us_.”

“What?”

“I had assumed after so long, they wouldn’t bother,” the seer continued. “It would stand to reason that Blue Diamond would just replace me…replace us, with the same gem type, but I have obviously been wrong. They’re looking for _both_ of us now.”

It was a prospect neither of them had thought about in years, to the point they actually believed Homeworld had completely forgotten about them, when in reality, the two gems were apparently never far from their minds. Ruby’s agitation set in, causing her to pace back and forth in front of the blue gem. “Don’t worry,” she threw out. “I’ll protect you.”

“And I’ll protect you.”

Ruby waved her off, her pacing only growing as she tried to work out a plan in her head. “You don’t need to protect me,” she said. She came to a stop in front of the seer, continuing with, “In case you forgot, I’m supposed to be your guard.”

“And you can easily guard me while I’m guarding you,” Sapphire stated.

Ruby huffed, angrily. Did Sapphire really not see what was going on? “Why are you being so stubborn?” she asked.

Sapphire gave the red gem an incredulous look, though Ruby couldn’t see it from under her bangs. Why was this so hard for Ruby to understand and accept? “ _I’m_ being stubborn!?”

“They’re obviously looking for you,” the former soldier concluded. “So the best thing would be to keep you out of sight. I can handle myself…”

“ _They’re going to break you!_ ” Had Ruby _truly_ forgotten that little detail?

“There are tons of me!” Ruby shouted, throwing her hands in the air, a clear sign she was being agitated in her anger. “Who cares!?”

“I do!”

The exclamation stunned both of them. They stared at each other in confusion – had Sapphire said that out loud? Of course she was fond of the soldier, how could she not be? But Ruby was just, well, a ruby. Why would someone like Sapphire care about her?

“I’m sorry to interrupt…”

The two smaller gems stiffened at the familiar voice of Rose, turning their heads slightly to confirm that she and Pearl had indeed returned. The rebels had missed most of the previous statements, but they had been there during the latter part. It was quite strange, as they had never seen Ruby and Sapphire argue like this before or even ever up to this point.

“We…”

“I…”

The two looked at each other, before turning away. It was Sapphire who finally had the courage to speak. “I have some news that I believe you need to hear.”

That statement did nothing to placate the two rebels, but they none the less agreed to hear what the seer had to say. With input mostly coming from Sapphire, Rose and Pearl listened as she gave an overview of her vision, luckily being familiar enough with sapphires to know that when they had a vision, it always needed to be heeded. Both rebels came to an agreement almost immediately.

“Then it’s solved,” Rose replied. “Thee two you need to leave. Pearl and I will cover your trail and I know a group of villagers that you can hide with. Homeworld will never find you.”

“Belay that,” Ruby piped up, immediately going into command mode. She wasn’t an official commander per se, but she had led her fair share of missions in the past and she knew Rose, hopefully, would listen to her, despite their different life stations. “The three of you take off. I’ll stay behind and take care of any troops.”

“You will do no such thing!” Sapphire hissed, her tone bordering on an order.

“Oh?” Ruby asked, sarcastically, glaring at the blue gem. “Are you forbidding from doing so, my grand clarity?”

In all of their time together, Ruby had never gone that far in Sapphire’s title; in fact, within a short time, the soldier had almost immediately dropped the honorific. So for her to use as almost an insult was an affront to the former elite. “Do not call me that,” she whispered. Though soft, there was weight and even anger in her voice, something that neither Rose or Pearl had ever heard from the usually kind seer.

“Then don’t presume to tell me how to do my job,” Ruby retorted.

“Your job?” the seer huffed. “I didn’t realize bodyguards were in high demand on Earth.”

“Just shows you don’t know as much as you _think_ you do.”

“What does that mean?”

Rose and Pearl were nearly helpless, watching as the two argued over one’s importance over the other. This would not be the first time Ruby and Sapphire would have a disagreement, nor would it be the first time their innate powers were triggered by an emotional response, though in this case it was slight. When the quartet left later, there were distinct scorch marks on the ground on one side, while the other held a slick coating of ice.

 

* * *

 

It took several hours to reach the settlement Rose had mentioned, hopefully putting some distance between them and the soldiers from Homeworld. The rebel leader was quick to note this was the reason they would always have the advantage over their former comrades – they knew the planet, Homeworld didn’t.

The sentiment did little to ease the tension between Ruby and Sapphire, who had very decidedly made the commitment to _not_ talk to each other as they made their trek. The two smaller gems avoided each other as best as they could, even after they reached Rose’s two-legged friends, who were happy at meeting new – friendlier – versions of her kind.

While Sapphire fell back into her former role as diplomat, Ruby’s annoyance only kept her distant from the welcoming group. In fact, only a few moments after being introduced, the former soldier ended up stalking off to the other side of the village, heedless of the calls from the others for her to stay. She just needed a moment, a moment away from the high and mighty seer that knew everything cause she could _see_ everything, from the haughty servant who _thought_ she knew everything, and from the traitorous rebel that started this mess in the first place.

Didn’t any of them realize she was a _ruby_? She had _one_ job and that job was to protect the gems in her charge, it was that simple! So if she couldn’t do that, if the gems around her _wouldn’t allow it_ , then what she _there_ for?? It was times like this, she actually wished…wished she was back on Homeworld. At least there…at least on Homeworld, there was no doubt what her purpose was, why she was there.

If she had never jumped in to save Sapphire…maybe she would’ve been able to stop Pearl or maybe Rose. Doubtful, but…there was a chance, slim as it was. Then the rebels would’ve been captured, Earth would’ve been retaken, and Ruby would’ve gone on other missions, maybe exploring the rest of the galaxy for further gem expansion. That would’ve been simple. Easy, even.

Did Ruby want that?

What the red gem hadn’t told anyone, not even Sapphire, was that the prospect of going back to Homeworld was…frightening. It wasn’t even about the possibility of being shattered because of what she and Sapphire had done; no, it was about going back to a life she didn’t really want anymore. Ruby had been on Earth for such a short time, well as short a time as three years could be for a gem.

She had…freedom here. She had formed…something with Sapphire, something that was nice and comforting – something she most likely ruined now. And she had met the rebels! Had met and seen the point of their dissonance and discord and…had thrown her skills behind their cause. At this point, Ruby was a rebel too, maybe since landing on the planet with Sapphire.

The walk was good for her, allowing her to think while simultaneously checking the perimeter to ensure they hadn’t been followed and that no troops were roaming around close by. By the time she arrived a little ways from the village, it looked like the other three were knee deep into some discussion with a few of the bigger two-legs. They seemed fine for the moment, so the soldier took her leave, stationing herself at the edge of the village.

The area was close to what Rose had said was a stream or a lake, another place for the two-legs to retrieve their nourishment from the creatures that swam underneath. It had just started to get dark, so the ‘moon’ that hung in the sky shone down, highlighting the ripples that went across the surface. They didn’t have anything like this on Homeworld and Ruby had never seen anything like the things and creatures that were here.

In their time here, Ruby had started to see and understand the importance of the things that were here. Rose could literally go on and on and on about the planet, the people, the plants, blah, blah, but the one thing that always stood out was the fact that the two-legs made their _own_ choices, were their own person. If they wanted to tend to their nourishments and bring food, they could; if they wanted to heal the sick and injured, they could; if they wanted to procreate with a certain individual, they could.

Gems were placed in their roles and fulfilled them, with no thought to ever changing their stations. Ruby would always be another ruby, Pearl just another pearl, Sapphire just another sapphire, and Rose as just another quartz. But here…here, Rose was a rebel leader, going up against the very people that created her; Pearl was a renegade; Sapphire…Sapphire spoke to her, as though she actually…cared.

And Ruby…Ruby was…

Suddenly on alert. Someone was near…and that someone was a gem. Gem had the innate ability to sense other gems, an ability that wasn’t really used on Homeworld – unless you wanted to keep an eye out for your superior. But here on Earth, that ability came in handy when trying to evade the very same gems who were looking for you. It took a moment of careful listening and honed military senses before Ruby relaxed, knowing immediately who had entered her sanctuary.

“Are you just gonna stand there all night?” she questioned, not bothering to turn.

“How did you know it was me?”

Ruby was glad she was turned away, that way Sapphire wouldn’t see the blush that had risen to her face. For some reason that didn’t have a viable answer, Ruby always knew when Sapphire was near; she didn’t know if was because of the familiarity they had formed while exploring or the closeness they were starting to experience as Garnet.

“I-I…” she mumbled. “I always know when it’s you.”

The seer nodded. “That’s…that’s how I knew where to find you,” she whispered.

“You didn’t ‘see’ me here?” Ruby muttered.

“I always _see_ you, Ruby,” the blue gem huffed. “But I didn’t need to see in order to find you. I-I sensed you, when you returned.”

Just as Ruby had easily sense Sapphire, the seer had also sensed the soldier upon her return, excusing herself from her current conversation with Pearl and Rose. She hadn’t given a reason for the withdrawal, but then again sapphires weren’t known for their eloquent conversation exits. Visions could come abruptly and those were more important that something trivial an agate was saying.

Sapphire hadn’t thought anything of it, her thoughts immediately on finding Ruby and hopefully apologizing for her words. Though…to be honest, she wasn’t exactly what she should be apologizing for – she absolutely would _not_ apologize for wanting to protect the red gem and preventing her from, once again, sacrificing herself for the seer.

“May I join you?” Sapphire asked, hesitantly.

Ruby nodded, quickly, even turning to face the gem as she lowered herself to the ground. The two were silent for a moment, each wondering what to say to the other. “I’m sorry.”

Both chuckled at their shared sentiments before Ruby continued with, “I’m sorry. I didn’t…didn’t mean to be disrespectful. I-I just…I was scared. I know I shouldn’t be, but…”

“I know,” Sapphire interrupted. “Ruby, I don’t want to return to Homeworld; I’m not sure I could go back to that life.” Looking up at the gem, she said, “I’m not going to apologize for wanting to keep you safe. I can’t apologize for that, but…I-I…I feel that I’ve offended you in some way…”

Ruby chucked, bemused. “Sapphire,” she said. “A ruby’s purpose is to protect. That’s my only job and if I can’t do that, then…” The soldier shrugged.

“Ruby, that’s not your only purpose,” the seer leaning forward. “Your purpose is to be _here_ , with me, with us I mean. You don’t need to protect me because you think that’s the only thing I want…”

“I _know_ I don’t need to protect you,” Ruby huffed, interrupting Sapphire’s speech. Her first instinct was to turn away, but this seemed important, even if another blush was growing on her face. “I _want_ to,” she whispered. “Protect you, I mean. You tend to find yourself in trouble on occasion.”

This time it was Sapphire who huffed, catching the smirk that appeared on the former soldier’s face. “This is about that…that _flying_ creature incident, isn’t it?” she asked. “Which was _not_ my fault, to remind you.” Her tone was light however, matching Ruby’s grin with a small smile of her own.

And like that, they seemed to have patched up their argument. It wouldn’t be the last time the two would be at odds with each other, but thankfully this also wouldn’t be the last time the two managed to repair their budding relationship. Sapphire looked up into the sky, her gaze on the twinkling stars that hung there. The two-legs were still in awe of the night sky, while the gems who protected them knew what lay in space – the many galaxies that resided there, those that were members of the gempire, and those who may possibly stand in their way.

“Can I ask you something?”

The question turned the seer’s focus back to her companion. The sudden sight of Ruby asking her about her visions and the ultimate outcome of another argument between them loomed before her, so she shook her head to clear it. It was an unfortunate turn of events, but it was something Sapphire granted none the less. She nodded.

“About…”

“My visions,” the seer completed. The soldier nodded. “Sapphires usually don’t discuss the nature of their visions to anyone, not even other sapphires. We were noted for the visions and the better the vision, the…better a result.” She gave a small look to Ruby. “No one has ever seen a sapphire’s visions the way you have.”

“I figured that wasn’t something in the norm,” the red gem mumbled, rubbing the back of her neck in embarrassment. “Do you always see so many?” Ruby of course knew about sapphires and their visions, but as Sapphire had mentioned, she had never actually _seen_ a vision before and certainly not the onslaught that they had experienced as Garnet.

“I do,” the seer admitted, but something in her voice caused Ruby to stare at her. “But I’ve never…I’ve never seen what we did.”

“What do you mean?”

“I usually only see one path of fate,” Sapphire continued. “That is, one outcome to every path. But what we saw…there were several paths and several outcomes to one particular event. What we saw earlier – where Homeworld would take us, Rose, and Pearl – changed. Even now, that course is different. I never foresaw telling the others nor did I see you protesting and wanting to stay behind.”

Ruby thought over her words, putting it into an easy to consume bite – they had changed the path of fate. Sapphire saw one thing, but Garnet could see one thing, in many different ways. And if they took action, it changed things. But how was that possible? Obviously Garnet could see visions the way Sapphire did, but hers were different? How?

“I think,” Sapphire replied, surprising Ruby with her answer. She hadn’t realized she had asked her inner question out loud. “I think you’re the reason.”

“What?”

“Not in a bad way!” the seer insisted. “You…you’re an unpredictable variable and I think…I think that’s why Garnet’s visions are different from mine.” Ruby seemed to deflate a little, knowing that once again she had somehow affect Sapphire’s powers without meaning to. The touch on her leg caused her to turn back to the blue gem before her.

“Oh Ruby,” she said, giving her a smile. “That’s a _good_ thing.”

“Yeah?”

Sapphire’s smile widened slightly. “On the Cloud Arena,” she began. “That day…I told Blue Diamond that the rebels…that Rose and Pearl would attack us and after they had dissipated her guards, the other rubies, and…me, they would be captured and the rebellion would end. But something changed.”

“Me,” Ruby whispered, the understanding of what was being told. “I wasn’t supposed to save you.”

“And I didn’t see you doing so,” Sapphire added. “And here we are.”

“Here we are.”

It was actually an interesting idea – Ruby’s impulsive action had apparently changed Sapphire’s entire outcome, which in turn lead to their fusing, and that fusion having the ability to change the course of fate, for better or worse. It was something neither of them had prepared for or even knew could be possible, but as they had said, here they were.

Glancing at the seer, Ruby had the feeling this weighed more heavily on Sapphire’s mind than hers. It made sense, she thought, after all Sapphire had always been shown one thing and suddenly, after not having visions for several seasons, is greeted with different paths, different fates…

“Hey,” she whispered, getting Sapphire’s attention. Leaning forward, Ruby brushed aside the bangs from the seer’s face, allowing her to look into the baby blue eye that was now trained on her in slight fright. The fingers followed the natural path of the hairline, leading Ruby to cup a blue cheek in her hand.

“Do you trust me?”

Sapphire didn’t hesitate to answer, reaching up to cover the hand on her cheek with one of her own. “Of course.”

“Then trust that we’ll figure this out,” Ruby continued. “Cause we will, I know we will.” Sending the seer a grin, she said, “Good thing you got stuck with me and not say, a jasper or an amethyst. If you think _I’m_ a pain at times…”

A giggle escaped Sapphire’s lips before it turned into a full blown laugh, which was just as a melodic as her normal voice. “What’s this?” Ruby asked, feigning surprise. “A laughing Sapphire? Will wonders never cease!”

“Ruby!”

“Gonna start calling you ‘Laughy Sapphy’ from now on.”

Using her other hand, the seer gave the ruby a slight push in retaliation. “Don’t you dare!” she laughed, obviously not the least bit upset at the joke nor the ridiculous nickname. Even through her merriment, her hold on Ruby’s hand never waivered, even after it had slipped from her face.

“Oh well, now it’s official,” the red gem giggled. Sapphire’s laugh was infectious and Ruby found she enjoyed it even more than she would’ve thought. If there was ever a reason for the soldier to stay on Earth, she had found it, sitting and laughing before her. They never would’ve shared something like this on Homeworld, but here they could. And there was something else they could share here.

Getting quickly to her feet, Ruby held out her left hand. “Dance with me?”

Again, Sapphire was fast to reach out to the former soldier, her own gem laying comfortably against Ruby’s, allowing the red gem to pull her to her feet, where she found herself ‘stumbling’ into the soldier’s hold. Despite the hue of her own red cheeks growing hot and darker than ever, Ruby none the less shot the seer a smile before starting the steps to their familiar dance.

“And you’re not a pain,” Sapphire said, giving Ruby a look.

“Oh, I am,” the solider chuckled. “But I’m _your_ pain.”

The blue gem chuckled deeply, letting the fingers of one hand trailed from the back of Ruby’s neck into the tuft of hair that hung there. “That’s certainly true.” Ruby echoed the laugh, leaning her forehead against Sapphire’s, enjoying this new closeness they had reached.

Within a flash of light, Garnet stood in their place, a smile on her face as she realized that she had returned, but she could feel that was a difference within her. While her components had always been a cohesive unit, this time the feelings between them seemed…different, was the only thing she could think to describe it. It wasn’t bad, on the contrary, she felt more confident in her abilities, even she wasn’t quite sure what those were just yet.

Overall though, there was a heightened sense of…euphoria? Garnet was genuinely happy, but today she felt even more so. Ruby and Sapphire were happy with one another, happy to know each other on this strange planet, and that in turn made Garnet happy. But it wasn’t just happiness, it was…she didn’t really know how to describe it, really.

It felt like a million different emotions at once, but a bit of shyness too that she could pinpoint to both gems, but none of these were bad feelings. She would have to investigate it further, she just didn’t know when. For now, however, she was needed back in the village – she had the sense Rose wanted to speak with her.


	5. Part V: The Crystal Gems

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a small rebellion starts to grow, while the drums of war start to beat in the distance. And it starts with seven magnificent gems.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know. This was supposed to come out well before now, like before Dewey Wins was released so...yeah. Little behind. But I did it! I finished it, people! And I'm not gonna lie - I did not beta read the end section. I just wanted to give this to you, so if you catch anything, tell me and I'll fix it.
> 
> As you can see by the chapter title, we're talking about the Crystal Gems (title drop!). How did we go from one lone rebel rose quartz gem to a cast of hundreds fighting the good fight? Well, I decided to explore how the rebellion really got off the ground; this is a long one cause we'll be looking at some of the mentioned members of the CGs.
> 
> For obvious reasons, this fic no longer aligns with what we're learning about the war or the CGs, despite my best efforts. And as of the 5/7 special, I will **_NOT_** be aligning this with A Single Pale Rose. Rose Quartz and Pink Diamond will be treated as _two separate_ people.
> 
> I did however write something that _does_ fit in to Cant's Go Back and ASPR, which will hopefully be up a bit later.
> 
> Big love to my buddy realfakedoors for help towards the end of the this massive drink of water y'all about to read. And thanks of course to everyone reading and keeping on the Gina Train!

_Six months later_

 

It was nearly two hundred years since the shattering of Pink Diamond, throwing all of Homeworld into a frenzy. The culprit – the traitor Rose Quartz – had not only defied her own function as a quartz soldier, but she had shattered her own Diamond before abducting the Diamond’s pearl and turning her against their own kind.

If that wasn’t enough, two rogue gems had fled from the cloud arena under Blue Diamond’s watchful eye, not only allowing the so-called Crystal Gems to escape but forming a _fusion_ in the process. It would have been one thing if the fusion had been recognized or even sanctioned, such as a ruby fusion or a jasper fusion.

No, that day on the cloud arena, a ruby and a sapphire had fused, stunning all in attendance. There was of course speculation and rumor as to the root cause of what happened – that the ruby was an actual plant from these rebels, who then was used to snatch away Blue Diamond’s prized sapphire; that the _sapphire_ was the actual plant, just waiting for the time to strike against the Diamonds by giving out a false prophecy.

The fact that no one was quite sure what happened to the two was suspect in itself, especially when a new arrival to these rebels had suddenly come on the scene so soon after; the Diamonds wondered if Rose Quartz had managed to turn two more gems or worse, force the sapphire into an uncalled-for fusion. Either way, the fact that the rebels seemed to anticipate the moves of Homeworld gems seemed to cement the use of Blue’s prized seer.

Jasper from Facet 5B2 Cut 4BV wasn’t sure she believed what had really happened, but she knew things weren’t as simple as they appeared. As a jasper created from the minerals of the colony she protected, 4BV had encountered the rebel Rose Quartz once so far. Despite the reports that she was a gem shatterer and would do so at a moment’s notice, 4BV felt that the quartz was actually very…honorable.

Their fight had been evenly matched – two quartzes battling against each other, the very thing they had been bred to do. They were mortal enemies – Rose had turned her back on everything that made a gem a gem and she’d finish the job by shattering her own Diamond. As a former member of Pink Diamond’s court, it was up to 4BV to bring the rebel to justice.

But their battle was never tinged with anger, which may have surprised Rose and certainly surprised 4BV; in fact, Rose seemed to speak about the Earth and its inhabitants, why she had lead a rebellion against their Diamond, and why she was against them now. 4BV didn’t understand the interest, though she couldn’t help but feel some respect for her. She was a competent opponent, even if 4BV didn’t understand the fascination with this planet.

The former quartz soldier hadn’t pressed any advantage on the jasper, especially when there were several opportunities for her to do so. Instead, the rebel leader had tried to reason with the guard, telling her the reasons to keep the planet out of Homeworld control and how gems could find a better life on Earth.

And after that meeting - when it had ended in a stalemate - Rose Quartz had said, “See ya later, Biggs!” despite the fact that ‘biggs’ wasn’t a name 4BV was ever called or ever answered to. Her name was…well, her designation was Facet5B2, Cut 4BV; gems didn’t have names, but apparently, the two-legged creatures did. 4BV was loyal to Homeworld and to that of the Diamonds, but her treacherous thoughts were beginning to cloud those feelings. It wasn’t that 4BV wanted to join the rebels, but she did wonder _why_ they were doing what they were doing.

It was full of inferior beings, strange looking creatures, and even odder landscape. But even on her worst day, 4BV couldn’t help but notice there was…beauty in some parts for this upcoming colony. Some of the strange creatures, if you didn’t frighten them, seemed very peaceful and the landscape – even with differing colors and markings – blended together to make surprisingly lovely sceneries. But while she could appreciate the landscape, she knew her duty was to her Diamond or rather former Diamond and that duty was to avenge Pink and take back control of her colony.

The rebels – who now consisted of the rebel quartz, the renegade pearl, and the fearsome fusion – had been former Homeworld gems, had formerly served the Diamonds and their gempire, and formerly had purposes that aligned with their gem type. There were many questions involved with the rebels –

How does a gem turn on their Diamond and shatter her? Rose Quartz had been created by Pink Diamond and she had once been a loyal gem and protector to her Diamond.

How did a known traitor to the empire get close enough to take out a Diamond? Speculation was rampant and most of the blame lay at the feet of Pink’s own court and guards.

What happened to Pink’s court? While the court of Pink Diamond were held responsible for not protecting their leader, their mysterious disappearance after her shattering was suspect on its own. Most gems assumed they had been shattered themselves for the act, but with their disappearance, the actual story of Pink’s demise was still clouded in mystery.

How did Rose Quartz get a pearl to rebel? This seemed to be an easy answer, as that the pearl – being a pearl – did what she was told and went with the quartz, even if unwillingly.

What happened to Blue Diamond’s sapphire? Even years later, gems under Blue’s court still remembered ‘the event’, where a lowly ruby had actually fused with one of Blue’s prized sapphires. Both had initially fled the court and were somewhere down on Earth – whether or not the original attack on Blue was orchestrated by the ruby or the sapphire was still under debate, as well as whether the fusion who now ran with the rebels did so with a component under duress.

4BV shook her head. These questions were reserved for the zircons and not jaspers like her; besides, her duty wasn’t to ask questions of the Diamonds. She was to serve them and that meant stopping the rebels from dismantling the hard work Pink had put into creating this glorious new colony. She was just one of many jaspers that were grown from the two kindergartens that were actually running on the planet.

As one of many, 4BV was like other jaspers grown from Earth soil – her coloring was much different from that of prized gems, like sapphires, agates, or even pearls; military grunts like her would come out different depending on the soil and resources of their entry holes. That’s why she was tan in color, with varying swirls of brown around her arms and portions of her neck. Her white locks flowed over her shoulder and down her back, like the other jaspers that came from the same facet, and her light brown eyes matched her coloring and for many, was actually a rarity among her facet mates.

While something like this could have easily sent her to a repurposing plant, her size and strength was what ultimately saved her – this conflict with Rose Quartz seemed to be escalating, with no measure of stopping her or her cohorts. Everyday one or all three of them would show up at a gem location and dismantle it, poofing any guards that tried to stop them and leaving destruction in their wake.

The Diamonds were screaming for the rebels’ heads, instructing every and all gems on the planet to stop their madness, but to be honest, most gems didn’t understand the reasoning behind the rebellion. The Earth was a backwater planet, after all, and the creatures on the surface didn’t have even a quarter of the technological knowledge and know-how of gem kind – why were these three misguided gems turning against their own kind?

The obvious reason was that these gems were defective – after all, how could you explain their behavior? A ruby and a sapphire fusing? A pearl not following her programming? And worse, a rose quartz turning on her own Diamond. All of it, unheard of! For millions of years, Homeworld and their gem society had never encountered anything like this in their history. Thankfully, there were gems like 4BV who would uphold the loyalty and trust of their Diamond and gempire.

4BV wondered the same things others had, but unlike the elites that sat around thinking all day, the jasper was on the ground and could see the destruction that was being wrought.

Today was just one of those days where 4BV was keeping watch around a new structure site. As a jasper, she didn’t have any real insight into the construction or what it was for, but from all the fuss the supervising agate was giving the bismuths below, it must have been something for the elites to sit around and do whatever it was they did in those high towers of theirs.

This new tower was being built near a spot where the land met an overflow of the liquid that seemed to be prevalent on the planet. 4BV had heard enough rubies complain about how they couldn’t go one foot without coming into contact with the wet stuff - which for a gem type whose powers were based on fire and flame was understandably annoying – and it wasn’t just littered on the land; it could also come from the sky and in some places, from the very walls of rock or cliffs that were around.

This was a strange planet and if not for the rich resources that helped to produce gems, 4BV would wonder why this planet had been chosen for colonization. “Of all the planets in the galaxy,” the jasper huffed. “I had to end up on this one.”

“Oh it’s not so bad,” replied a voice behind her, causing 4BV to turn quickly. “Once you get used to it.”

For any other guard, the appearance of Rose Quartz would’ve sent them into a shocked frenzy, the prospect of taking down the most sought after traitor would send a gem high through the ranks. This guard however just sighed at the sight. “You’re getting more and more lax, Rose,” said 4BV, manifesting a short mace from the gem on her left arm. “And today’s the day you are going down.”

“Aw, c’mon, Biggs,” the quartz said, sending the jasper a smile. “You know we don’t _have_ to fight.”

“We don't,” countered 4BV. “This could easily be over if you just turned yourself in. Why are you doing this? Why have you betrayed your own kind?”

“You know why,” Rose said. “Have you even explored the planet? Have you not looked at the landscape or at the all the wonders the planet holds?” Taking a step forward, she asked, “Have you even seen the species here?”

“Pink Diamond should’ve eliminated them, just as we’ve always done when colonizing,” 4BV insisted. “And what about us? What about _gems_? Don’t we need to live and thrive, as these…fleshy being you’re so enamored with? Do you not think our sky spires and arenas are wondrous?”

“The last time I checked,” Rose smirked. “Sky spires are reserved for intellectual gems, while the arenas are meant to force gems into fighting each other.”

That…did stop 4BV short. It was true, outside of the kindergartens they emerged from, many gems like her never got to see these fanciful structures that were built by bismuths. The arenas could be fun, but as Rose mentioned, were mostly entertainment for those elite gems. “And what does this…'wonderful’ planet offer that the Diamonds can’t?” she spat.

“Freedom, for one.”

“Freedom?”

Rose nodded. “You can be whatever you want here,” she said.

“Like your fusion friend,” 4BV said, sneering. “Or your pearl.”

“She’s not my pearl,” the quartz retorted. “But that’s my point. Pearl doesn’t have an owner and Garnet can be who she wants.”

“Disgraces against their Diamonds, you mean,” 4BV huffed. “Because that’s what you are, all of you. You’re going against everything that makes a gem a gem until you’re…you’ve…you’ve become…this!” Taking a fighting stance, the jasper continued with, “I will bring honor back to the Diamonds and I will avenge my Diamond, the one you shattered. Unlike you, I know my place.”

Without thinking, a large shield appeared on Rose’s arm. “I’m not gonna give up on you, Biggs.”

“That is not my name!” 4BV shouted, rushing the quartz and swinging her mace. She was blocked by the shield, even as she hammered at it as hard as she could. “I am Jasper from Facet 5B2 Cut 4BV.”

“And what makes you different from the other jaspers?” asked Rose, blocking another swing from the mace and giving the jasper a push that sent her reeling back.

“There is no difference,” 4BV panted.

“So I could literally be fighting any other jasper then,” responded the quartz. She actually had the audacity to dematerialize her shield, leaving herself defenseless. “So…why should I bother fighting you? What makes you special?”

4BV stood straight as she looked at the quartz before her. “What makes me special?” she asked. “I’m special because I’m going to be the jasper who captures Rose Quartz. And after I do, the Diamonds will recognize me for my loyalty and dedication to our society.”

“And then what?”

“What?”

“And then what?” Rose repeated. “Let’s say you capture me and turn me in. You get praise from the Diamonds. And then what? What happens after that?”

“I…” 4BV wasn’t actually sure. “I’d get my own pearl, for one,” she said. “That’s enough, isn’t it?”

“Is it?” Rose asked. “Do you think the Diamonds will remember you a year from now? 50 years? A thousand?”

“And what do you suggest?” 4BV laughed. “I do what you did? Turn on my kind? Is that how I should stand out?”

“What I did was to ensure the protection and preservation of this planet and its people.”

“Inferior people,” 4BV stated. For reasons even unknown to her, 4BV lowered her weapon, but didn’t vanish it from sight. “I don’t understand you, Rose. _Why_ are you defending this planet from us? What is so special or important here!?”

Rose’s response was cut off by the shouts of a group of amethysts coming towards the two. Seeing the distraction, 4BV made a move to grab the quartz, but Rose saw the jasper coming and was able to turn away – 4BV was only able make a passing swipe before the rogue gem was running past her. “Some other time, Biggs!” was her only remark as she ran off to where ever it was her rebels held out.

4BV watched as the amethysts came and went by her, pursuing the fugitive, though the jasper had a pretty good idea they wouldn’t be catching her anytime soon. A lavender amethyst made her way back to 4BV, panting a little after giving chase. “Did the traitor have anything to say?”

The jasper shook her head. “She lets her skills do the talking,” she lied.

“Well, don’t admire her too much,” the amethyst huffed. “Remember what she did to your Diamond. And what she’s doing to our society. That traitor doesn’t deserve any remorse or sympathy.”

“Quite right,” 4BV agreed. “That’s a gem who doesn’t know her place.”

Pacified by 4BV’s agreement, the amethyst waited for her fellow gems to come to her, all of them disappointed that Rose had once again managed to escape punishment. The jasper watched as the group grumbled back towards their patrol stations, with one of them asking if 4BV was coming with them or not. Looking back at where Rose had traveled, the jasper turned and followed the group.

 

* * *

 

Hours later, 4BV found herself at ground zero, watching several rubies help with carrying materials to the various bismuths milling about. One of Yellow Diamond’s agate was overseeing the construction and, as with most of the gems under Yellow, she was a stickler for order and knowing one’s place. Agates in general were usually tightly wound, taskmasters who wielded electrified whips to keep their charges under control.

Luckily, 4BV had never run into an agate’s whip, but she had heard stories from those who had and they weren’t pretty. There was a cost for not knowing your place within society, but it was a price every gem has been produced to recognize and obey. Rose spoke of freedom – the freedom of being on the planet and the freedom the species had here.

But gems had freedom too!

Granted, they didn’t get to choose their Diamonds or their purpose when they emerged from their exit hole…really, stepping out of line in any was subject to punishment by your superiors or the Diamonds. But this was their purpose! This was what gems did! There was…there was no changing that. So lost in thought, 4BV almost missed the commotion that was happening around her.

Because of the destruction the rebels were doing to installations, not only were there patrols around construction areas, but also near the perimeter of the construct. 4BV, after her missed opportunity with Rose Quartz, was moved to watch the inner construction area, keeping a look out near the agate and the builders she was directing.

While rubies weren’t necessarily the best gems to have doing anything more than run out and fight, their incredible strength was only matched by amethysts, quartzes, and jaspers, so it wasn’t unheard of for them to be used as manual labor from time to time. On this day, a group of six rubies were helping to carry the foundational blocks as an extra hand for the bismuths – there was one ruby, a bubbly and excitable one 4BV knew came from Facet 8 on Homeworld, but she could never remember her designation.

This ruby was spending more time chatting with one of the bismuths and not enough time watching where she was going. Before 4BV had the chance to say ‘watch out’, the little ruby had tripped over one of the strange limbs that sprouted from the ground and fell, dropping the concrete she was hauling with her. It would have been one thing to just drop the slab, but the ruby instead fell on, as though hoping – and failing – that it would somehow break her fall.

“Incompetent fool!” the agate screamed, marching herself over the little gem. A small crowd was starting to gather, but as the approach of the agate, they all backed up as much as they could, leaving the way clear for the commander.

Facet 8 ruby rolled over onto her back, grimacing before her eyes widened at the sight of her agate. “Oh no!” she shouted. “I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean…”

“Worthless clod of a gem,” the agate hissed. She towered over the rubies even when they stood, but now she loomed over the lone ruby, who shook in fear. “Why the Diamonds employ you mindless simpletons, I don’t know. Obviously, this is a case in which discipline prevails.”

Everyone in the vicinity knew what that meant, even before the agate pulled her whip from her gem. The ruby on the ground tried to plead with the agate, either familiar with the stories or possibly the whip herself; 4BV noticed no one moved in to help or even stop what was about to happen. Gem punishment was often times a ring side seat, done to make examples of those who went against their purpose, place, or Diamond.

It was a common procedure and if you didn’t want to be made an example yourself, you quickly learned the lesson being taught. If you’ve seen one of these, you’ve seen them all – the watching wasn’t the worst part; it was the screams. Even the strongest of gems could only last so long and this little ruby didn’t even make it to her seventh lashing before her form blinked out and only her gem lay on the ground.

Looking to the remaining rubies, agate ordered, “Let this be a lesson for more grace and carefulness. Now clean this up and find another slab.” The rubies of course nodded and got to work, while the agate turned and headed back towards 4BV. “I take it I can leave things in your capable hands while I put this ruby aboard my transport? You can bet our Diamond will hear about this.”

“Of course, Agate.”

The jasper watched her go, a frown marring her face. This wasn’t the first time she had seen a gem get punished and it wasn’t the first time she had felt sorry for them, but it _was_ the first time she wished things were better.

 

* * *

 

Time was relative for gems, so while the two-legged creatures may head indoors when the light began to dim, gems would keep working into the night, using their gems for light if they had to. Because of the unpredictability of the rebels, several patrols now scouted at night too – more often than not getting lost in the darkness and unfamiliar terrain.

4BV was doing such a patrol, however unlike her counterparts who traveled in their fellow packs, 4BV had gone off alone. She wasn’t exactly sure where she was headed, only that the path was marked for her and so she followed it. She had set out once the sky began to dim, telling the amethysts and other jaspers that she would head to the northeast, the same direction the fugitive had headed over their encounter.

It was on this journey that the jasper realized that she had severely underestimated the rebel leader. Not only was her escape path nonsensical, but it led into an environment beset with the green and brown fragile structures that littered some areas of the planet. The terrain sloped and turned, was dry, then wet – nothing at all like the smooth surfaces that lined the streets on other Homeworld colonies. The rebels clearly knew more about their surroundings than she did, than the Diamonds did, and that’s what was giving them the advantage in this scuffle.

4BV had to give it to the rebels – they were managing to fight in a way that took gems completely by surprise and the unpredictability of it all threw all sense of reason out the window. It was a sound battle tactic and with the way they seemed to disappear after their attacks made the mystique of these Crystal Gems even greater. Add to that the strange landscape of the planet, the rebels were making fools of their pursuers by fleeing into unfamiliar terrain.

That was the problem the jasper had now – trying to maneuver around unknown areas, with unknown creatures, both large and small. Twice now, 4BV had wrestled with large, furry animals who did not take kindly to her roaming around in their space. And that didn’t even take into account the small buzzing and crawling creatures that were in the air, on the ground, near the structures that grew from the ground, etc.

How the rebels survived and thrived in these conditions, she didn’t know or understand.

4BV stopped in her tracks, looking around her. By design, gems were able to detect one another when in close proximity, but the jasper was finding it hard to do with all this…green, leafy vegetation around. And she kept being distracted by the flying, biting creatures that flew in her face and tried to crawl up her body. She had hoped that once she got closer, she’d be able to sense Rose at least, but she wasn’t having any luck. Worse, when she looked back at her path, she didn’t feel all that confident about being able to navigate back.

She was just turning back forward when she felt the blade at her neck, halting her movement. Only her eyes moved to the right, following the blade of the sword to its handle, which rested in the hands of the Renegade Pearl.

“You’ve traveled a little further than expected, don’t you think?”

“Unless of course she didn’t just _stumble_ her way here.”

Moving her eyes back forward, 4BV made out the form of the fusion, who was leaning casually against one of the large brown poles that sprouted from the earth.

“Quite right,” smirked the renegade. “Which reminds me – I owe you a free pass come practice time.”

“I come baring no hostilities to you or the fusion,” 4BV announced, bringing their attention back to her.

“No?” the renegade asked, pressing the blade harder against the jasper’s neck.

“No,” 4BV replied. “I wish to speak to Rose Quartz.”

“Biggs?” The rebel leader herself appeared, coming from the path forward. She kept her distance, however once she recognized the gem, she smiled. “You’re a sight. What’re you doing here?” She gave a nod to the renegade, signaling to lower her weapon, which she did. 4BV noticed the pearl only moved a short distance away but kept on the offensive should the jasper make any sudden moves.

The fusion never moved from her spot, her eyes covered by a dark visor across her face.

“I placed a tracker on you after our last encounter,” the jasper said. “Upper back, on the right.”

Rose looked, not seeing anything at first before pushing back her pink ringlets and finding a small circular device resting where 4BV had stated. Plucking it from her shoulder, she held it between the thumb and fore finger of her hand, raising an eyebrow at the tiny thing. “Huh,” she said. Crushing it in her hands, she threw a look to her two comrades. “Well, now you know that I am not infallible.”

Turning back to 4BV, she seemed to look around the jasper, looking behind her for something. “Well,” she asked. “Where are they?”

Copying the raised eyebrow, the jasper looked at her foe.

“The rest of the Homeworld guard,” the renegade answered.

“I could ask you the same thing,” 4BV said, also looking behind the quartz. “How long before the rest of your compatriots start rolling in?”

“About the same time your fellow guards come up behind you.”

“She’s alone,” the fusion popped up.

“And how do we know this isn’t a trick?” asked the pearl.

4BV watched as the pearl shot a look at the fusion, before sharing one with the rebel leader. “I’m here willingly,” the jasper said. “You said you would give me answers to my questions and once I have them…I’ll be on my way.”

“Back to your Diamond?” asked Rose, tilting her head to regard the gem in front of her.

“You seem to have forgotten that my Diamond was also _your_ Diamond,” retorted 4BV. “And seeing as I currently serve under _Yellow_ Diamond…I’m not in a rush to get back.”

“Who would?” muttered Pearl.

Rose shortened the distance between them, though 4BV noted she didn’t come any closer than she may have dared. “If you truly want answers,” the rebel leader replied. “Then we will do our best to answer your questions.”

“Then I place myself in your custody,” 4BV said. “And your mercy.”

Rose shook her head. “There won’t be need for that,” she replied. “I trust you. And as long as you don’t betray that, no harm will come to you. From any of us.” The leader threw a look to her pearl, who begrudgingly dematerialized her sword. “Follow me.”

4BV followed the quartz, noting that her pearl and the fusion fell into step behind her, blocking any means of escape should she try. The trio led her deeper within the foliage, until they reached a small clearing. Once again, the jasper was surprised and impressed by the rebels – she had been expecting a much larger group, one that was just waiting for their superior to return, only to discover that the fearsome rebel force was in actuality, just three gems.

Three gems who knew their staging ground much more than their opponent. And who were also very knowledgeable _about_ their opponents.

The trio invited the jasper to sit across from them and, once seated, 4BV began her questioning. She started with the rebel leader’s pearl, who was quick to note that she was _not_ Rose’s pearl and she most definitely, absolutely didn’t belong to anyone. That of course just added on the surprises for the day – everyone knew that a pearl needed to have an owner; there was no event in history in which a pearl didn’t belong to _someone_.

At least until now.

Out of all of these gems, the renegade was the one who defied convention the most; an ownerless pearl! It was unheard of and had never existed until this one. Not only that, but she had learned combat. Pearls were meant to be seen, not heard – at the very least, they were to used as entertainment for their owners, at best, they were there to stand around and be pretty. And wasn’t as if this pearl was a lowly one, one that had been previously owned by an agate or even a morganite.

No, this pearl was manufactured for an elite class gem, that 4BV was sure of.

Filing that interesting bit of knowledge away, she then turned to the fusion. There had been rumors swirling around the being ever since their appearance before Blue Diamond’s court and their reappearance with the rebels had always been suspect, so 4BV asked the burning question:

Which was the truth? That Rose had employed the ruby as a plant in order to get to Blue’s sapphire or was Blue’s sapphire the true plant and the ruby got in the way?

“I was just as surprised about becoming, well… _me_ , as everyone in the cloud arena,” the fusion replied.

“But you fled from Blue’s court,” she said.

“She was going to break Ruby.”

“It was just a ruby,” insisted 4BV.

“Not to me, she’s not,” the fusion stated, clearing her throat as her cheeks grew dark. “That is to say, not to Sapphire. Ruby is more than ‘just a ruby’.”

The jasper frowned, not at the statement, but at the memory of watching the poor little ruby being poofed earlier. She wasn’t sure what had happened to its gem, but she didn’t think anything good would come about from it. The fusion before her had fled the court of a Diamond because of the very threat of the ruby being shattered and broken; what might have happened if one of the bismuths or even one of its fellow rubies had come in to stop that agate?

4BV knew the answer immediately, before she had even finished the thought. That kind of action would have gotten both of them both poofed or worse; things like that didn’t happen on Homeworld. Most soldiers were more than happy to give up their forms to their Diamonds, especially in their name.

“Every gem has a purpose,” she whispered, looking away. “So easily broken down into two categories – to either protect or to serve.” Turning to catch their gaze, she continued. “Before me, I see a protector, a servant, and a combination of the two. But yet none of you are fulfilling your purpose; oh, you’re mindlessly protecting this planet and the creatures on it, but that’s a job for a quartz or even that ruby. Gems need purpose and you don’t have that. So what are you?”

She knew her question hit a mark by the way the faces of the pearl and fusion seemed to cloud with anger. Rose had promised she wouldn’t be harmed, but if these three didn’t adhere to gem standards, what standards could they possibly hold?

“You asked me earlier,” Rose began. “What it was all for? Why would I…why would _we_ betray everything we’ve ever known for this planet? Because here, we can be whatever we want and create whatever purpose we want to have. When I served Pink Diamond, I got to see the beauty of this planet, of what the two-leg creatures could accomplish even without the technical know-how that gems possess.

“I found my purpose here. I want to protect this planet and all the wonderful things on it. Pearl wanted to be free. And Garnet wanted to be together. We’ve chosen our own paths and our own purposes.” Giving the jasper a look, Rose asked, “What do _you_ want?”

“What I want?” questioned the jasper. “It doesn’t matter what I…”

The question actually did intrigue her. No one ever asked what a jasper wanted because they all assumed jaspers wanted the same thing – to serve their Diamond and to serve Homeworld. There wasn’t really anything past that, other than fighting, but even 4BV only enjoyed it if she had a worthy opponent and Rose Quartz had been just that.

4BV looked around her – at the strange, looming poles that swayed with the breeze, down to the strange green stalks that came from the ground. “I want…” she whispered, starting at the ground. She plucked one of the stalks and twirled it between her fingers. “I want to know what this is. I want to know what those brown poles, with the green hanging bits are.”

Looking at the fusion, she said, “I want to stop gems from being poofed because they make a simple mistake.” Turning to look at Rose, she asked, “How do I do that?”

Rose leaned forward to look at her fellow quartz. “By helping us,” she said. “Even if you decide you’d rather work on your own, that’s fine! But at least let us show you around so you don’t get lost.”

4BV chuckled at that. It wouldn’t really sink in until much later, but by following and speaking with Rose, she had entered in a new direction to her life. No longer would she follow the stringent rules of the Diamonds or Homeworld; instead, she was following a new precedent, where gems could be who they wanted and do what they wanted. She was going to protect a strange planet with strange creatures she didn’t understand, but…Rose promised to help her – all of them – understand what all the fuss was.

“Apologies for the…earlier ambush,” the renegade replied, looking a little sheepish for their actions. “Your arrival, while expected, was no less surprising.”

The jasper looked at her questioningly, but the she managed to answer to her own query. Of course her arrival had been seen, even if she wasn’t – the fusion had all but admitted there was nothing sinister between their ruby and sapphire, only…feelings and despite all the thoughts about cross-fusion, 4BV didn’t think the two had been fusing behind Blue’s back. “You know,” the pearl continued. “We never did ask your name. Or rather, what it is you’d like to be called.”

That made 4BV wonder – Rose had asked something similar. Names, not designations; so strange but it did seem to set them apart from other gems, didn’t it? If she did this, she would be officially pulling away from her former life and entering into this new one. Shrugging, she cracked a smile at the group.

“Why not stick to what we know?” she chuckled. “Call me Biggs.”

 

* * *

* * *

 

The life of a bismuth was pretty straight forward.

Grown just like any other gem, bismuths were created to build things – most structures, such as intellectual towers, spires, arenas; even the construction of Kindergarten injectors were left for bismuths to build, while Homeworld scientists filled them with the materials to start gem production. That was pretty much what bismuths did – build, build, build.

Their lifecycle could be summed up in that one job description and there was nothing else really to be said for it. For Bismuth of Facet 9FG Cut 6Y4, this had been her existence for nearly eight thousand years; she had come out of the ground knowing her purpose and immediately starting building injectors for a colony on Cretis 4, one of Blue Diamond’s colony worlds. And that’s how her life had been up until her transfer to the planet Earth.

Pink Diamond was building a new colony for the gem empire and everything seemed to be in order, at least until her assassination by one of her own gems. Since then, the Diamonds had been deploying all manner of gems to try and preserve the colony that would’ve been, while equally trying to stop the rebels who continued to make a mockery of their society.

Truth be told, Bismuth actually found the whole thing impressive.

As someone whose whole purpose in life was to take orders from the elites and build towers for them to think in, the idea that someone was actually standing up for themselves was appealing. She wasn’t about to go around and say that of course, not if she wanted to continue in her current form, but there was a boldness to these rebels that had her inwardly cheering. The unfortunate thing was, eventually the rebels would be caught; that was a given.

So far, they were just an annoying nuisance, causing damage and destruction all over the colony; soon, they would probably be taken to the cells that were nestled in Yellow Diamond’s district on Homeworld. Most likely, they’d only stay there for a short time before they were shattered, they might not even make it to the cells – they could easily just be shattered on sight. At least, that’s what Bismuth had heard from the jaspers and quartzes that stood around, barely guarding her work area.

There was a lot you could learn by just blending into the background and Bismuth learned a lot about the goings on within the empire, at least on the military side. Amethyst soldiers especially were a chatty bunch, who loved to gossip and they were quite friendly when doing so with the rubies or bismuths they hung around. Jaspers were noticeably more staunch in their talks, always wary of who was around and making sure their conversations were kept private.

From what she heard, the rebels seemed to be everywhere and yet, no one could pin them down. The builder was almost sure they were making use of the new fangled warp pads that were starting to break ground, a new way to travel that was much quicker than the drop ships that were currently still in service. But more than that, the rebels seemed to know their way around the strange land the gems were cultivating.

As a builder, Bismuth could appreciate good design, even if all she built were towers and spires. Despite her upbringing in a world of order and structure, Bismuth found the Earth to be a refreshing change, with it’s bold colors, bright and dark skies, strange landscapes, and funny creatures that moved to and fro. She had been to a few places around the colony – places that were wet, with various pools of liquid and creatures inside; lush green places, with little spots of color around them; and then there was the kindergartens.

Drab and brown, like the kindergartens on Homeworld, these were already seemingly built to house gems of all types and sizes. There were several of these around the Earth and the colony plans looked to have as many as possible, along with several towers, spires, and other things that Bismuth would most likely never see. Today she was working in one of the proposed kindergartens and when all the injectors were up, she’d be taking the warp pad to the area they had designated for a spire, something that would be in the middle of a large body of wet stuff.

Why? Well, it didn’t really matter to her; it was all the same anyway. The elites liked their towers and they liked sitting in their towers, discussing who knew what. Same old, same old. She didn’t say anything – she’d be shattered if she did – but elite gems really annoyed her; they were always so stuffy, thought they were better than everyone, which in a way they were. Their very purpose was to be elite, to be smarter and better than everyone who wasn’t a Diamond.

That day wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. Bismuth was surrounded by others of her type, with a few agates around to make sure they did the job. The perimeter of the future kindergarten was being patrolled by a few jaspers and amethysts, who stood guard and were watching for any sign of the rebels to appear. The day was bright, like most on the newest colony, though there were times when the sky turned dark and the liquid on the planet fell from the sky.

During those times, they actually had to halt construction because the liquid could actually compromise a site. They never had anything like that on Homeworld and Bismuth couldn’t lie – it was an interesting change of pace. Yep, it was a shame this would soon all go away and turn into another gem colony.

The area was already ripe for gem production and they had just started implanting the fifth injector when the attack started. Like most rebel attacks, it came out of nowhere, with one of the injectors suddenly falling over and hitting the ground with a loud thud. Another hit the dirt soon after the first, causing every gem to look around. “There!” shouted one bismuth, pointing to a silhouette that seemingly appeared and then disappeared by the towering rock.

The jaspers and amethysts went to spread out, looking everywhere for the rebels because who else would be causing terror at a gem construction zone?

Suddenly, one of the jaspers felt their form being disrupted, only a moment before they winked out of existence, leaving their yellow colored gem to be caught in the palm of a thin, pale hand. The figure of the renegade pearl spun on her toes, sword in one hand and yellow colored gem in the other. “Here,” she said, tossing the gem to the startled jasper before her. “Catch.”

The second jasper managed to catch her fellow gem right before Pearl slashed out her, poofing her as well and letting both gems fall to the ground.

Facing the gems surrounding her, Pearl pointed her sword at them. “You will not build a kindergarten here,” she announced.

“Just who do you think you are, absconding around the orders of the Diamonds?” an agate asked. A small circle was forming around the renegade, all waiting to capture one of the elusive rebel gems who had been besieging the colony.

“If you think we’d suffer from one of you rebel scum…” replied the second agate. Both had their weapons of choice out, along with the other gems – maces, axes, knives, and other associated weapons of mass destruction. If they were hoping to intimidate the former servant, it didn’t work; she just smirked.

Pulling a second sword from the gem on her forehead, the pearl continued to stand her ground. “You _will_ suffer me,” she stated, readying herself.

Bismuth and a few of her comrades couldn’t help but stand and watch, building injectors the last thing on their minds. Others weren’t so concerned, if anything they knew the consequences of not working; it would just be like an agate to report them back to one of the Diamonds, resulting in them either being poofed or shattered. The latter was more likely, especially if it was made to seem as though they just stood around while the rebels were attacking a gem-controlled facility.

And speaking of the rebels…

While the Renegade Pearl was holding her own against the group surrounding her, two more injectors managed to topple over, calling to attention that the rebels never did anything alone. A second rebel – the abomination, as gems called it – had made quick work out of two of the remaining three standing injectors, startling those who had been distracted by the other fight occurring.

Now the attention was split between the one-sided fight against the pearl and the fusion who was happy to continue demolishing the efforts to build this new kindergarten. “Don’t just stand there!” shouted one of the agates. “Stop the abomination!”

Said abomination didn’t take too kindly being called, well, an ‘abomination’, showing her anger by sending a fist through the injector’s glass casing. Bismuth couldn’t help it – she stared. A lot had been said about the most visible of rebels – the traitorous Rose Quartz, the Renegade Pearl, and this gem – but most of the confusion was directed at…her? Them? Rumor had it that this was the unspeakable fusion that had come together in Blue Diamond’s court, the amalgamation of an errant ruby and a high-class sapphire.

It was fascinating, to say the least, and Bismuth wondered how the poor ruby could stand it or _why_ she stood for it. Like other gems, she figured the fusion was an obvious prison, made to serve Rose Quartz’s desire to destroy her own kind, but Bismuth didn’t believe what others said, that the sapphire was the one being imprisoned. She felt bad for the _ruby_ – after all, who wanted to be trapped in a fusion with a snotty elite? Sapphires weren’t as bad as say Citrines or Obsidians, but they were just as stuck up; they were often cold and short with their servants and anyone else and were completely pampered because of their ‘visions’.

The fusion was an interesting specimen, if she did say so herself – tall, agile…it was making quick work of the bismuths who tried to fight it off. Even the arrival of another squad of amethysts, didn’t stop the fusion turning their attention to them as well. So enraptured with the fusion fight, Bismuth didn’t see the jasper coming at her until she found herself being pushed into the hard rock face of the proposed kindergarten.

The fallen jasper poofed as soon as they both hit the rock face, however bismuths were a little more sturdy, produced to handle harsh conditions in order to build structures wherever their Diamond commanded. Shaking off the impact, Bismuth looked at the pearl before her, sword pointed in her direction. Shapeshifting one of her hands into a double headed hammer, the builder grinned.

“Hello, little friend,” she said. “And who do you belong to?”

The look the renegade gave her could only be described as fiery. “Nobody!”

Bismuth shifted to her right, barely missing the jab from the renegade before pivoting and pushing the gem forward. “No owner, huh?” she asked, avoiding the sword strikes and swipes. “You know you’re a pearl, right?”

“I know _exactly_ what I am, thank you,” the peal hissed, grunting when Bismuth’s hammer hit the broadside of her sword, knocking it from her right hand. “And I’m more than just a pearl.”

“I can see that,” the builder chuckled, blocking a sword strike and then another. “Believe me, I think what you’re doing is admirable, but you know you can’t beat the elites or the Diamonds.”

“We’re doing pretty good so far.”

Bismuth actually laughed at that, jumping away from another strike. She didn’t have any quarrel with the renegade, in fact, she was actually enjoying this little spar session – she knew pearls had grace and were light on their feet, but she had only seen that as part of their dance routines or singing. She had never seen it applied to fighting before and it actually worked well for the opponent she faced. Despite being a building class gem, Bismuth knew her way around a fight and she could hold her own should a jasper, amethyst, or ruby want to spar.

The renegade was putting her through her paces though, she could admit that, as she tried to keep out of the reach of the remaining sword. Changing her left hand into a matching hammer, Bismuth backhanded the sword from the pearl’s grasp, starling her. “Sorry, precious,” she smirked. “Looks like our dance is over.”

Bismuth expected the pearl to be scared, to tremble the same way most pearl trembled when they were faced with an angry gem, but this pearl stood her ground. She looked Bismuth right in the eye, despite being much shorter than the builder, and stood tall, awaiting whatever the gem would do to her. But it never came. Bismuth wasn’t planning on hurting the rebel - she didn’t have any issue with them - but she need to make it look as though she wasn’t standing there and having a conversation, which they kinda were in a roundabout way. Despite not wanting to bring any harm to the pearl, she was none the less knocked to the side and off her feet, landing a distance away and nearly knocking into the last remaining injector.

After she came to a stop, Bismuth looked to see the fusion standing where she had just been standing. “Mind if I cut in?” it joked, sending the builder a slight smirk.

Bismuth laughed, she couldn’t help it. “Very nice,” she chuckled.

“Die rebel scum!”

The call came from a jasper who stood watching one of the loyal gems being disrespected by these horrible rebels. Using her axe, the jasper flung towards the legs of the last remaining injector, slicing through two of the metal legs. Bismuth looked up to see that she was right in the path of the injector’s fall – at minimum, she’d be thrown back into her gem to regenerate; at worse, she’d be shattered.

Neither option was appealing, but if she had to go, she hoped it was through the former and not the latter.

Instead of looking away, Bismuth decided to meet her fate with dignity – the same way the pearl had stood and met her during their fight. Unknown to her, the two rebels had also seen the actions of the jasper and were watching as the injector began its fall towards the bismuth; per Homeworld standards and speculation, these Crystal Gems would leave the gem to her fate, having done their job. They had dismantled the construction of the new kindergarten, sending the gems there in disarray.

But what Homeworld didn’t understand about the Crystal Gems was the very reason they protected the planet and everything on it, including gems. Their mission was to stop the Diamonds from turning the planet into another colony, to protect all life that chose to live there. They weren’t trying to harm the gems doing what they were made to do, though they did disrupt their work.

With that point, neither Pearl nor Garnet were going to just stand by and watch another gem be crushed.

In a few blinks of an eye, Garnet had rushed in to grab the bismuth, moving her towards the cavern rock face while Pearl finished the injector’s destruction by throwing one of her swords at the casing, shattering it. Bismuth could only sit against the ground and watch as the rebels had not only saved her, but then made their escape just as quickly as they had appeared. Jaspers and amethysts alike did their best to follow, while the other bismuths began to clear away debris.

It took Bismuth a moment to truly understand what happened, but by then she was being reprimanded by an agate, telling her to stop wasting time and help the others. She noticed the second agate berating the jasper for throwing the axe in the first place and causing the last injector to fall, especially when it did nothing to capture the rebels. And just like that, the excitement was replaced with the same routine that had brought her here in the first place.

 

* * *

 

The bright skies had just begun to turn dark when Bismuth took a self-imposed break. Breaks weren’t a part of a gem’s production cycle, but the builder had made the excuse to try and find more materials nearby. There weren’t any ‘materials’ to speak of, just the builder wanting to put some distance between her and the construction zone. The events from earlier still played on her mind. It wasn’t so much the arrival of the rebels, but the fact that the fusion had saved her.

Why? The rebels were traitors to the Diamonds, which meant any Homeworld gem was an enemy to them, so why wouldn’t they have just let the injector take her out? It seemed odd, them saving her, but the rebels had proven they went against the expectations of both gems and Diamonds, so of course they would save her instead of letting her meet her fate. So strange, but the rebels weren’t known for their rationale.

Bismuth enjoyed looking out across the valley, at the landscape and how it changed whenever the ball of light left and was replaced by the ball that came out at night; how more of the four-legged creatures seemed to come out during this time, hopeful in the fact that the interlopers had gone away. It was usually quiet during these times, despite gems still working around the so-called clock. She really shouldn’t be out here, but sometimes the injustices of the hierarchy made her want to just stop.

Gems were grown, produced, and essentially taught to love and serve their Diamond, respecting all the higher ups that directed them towards their goals of serving the gem empire. Bismuth knew the rules, but that didn’t mean she had to enjoy them; and she didn’t. For thousands of years, she just did what was told of her; what else could she do? She took one more look around her area.

“Shame this has to go away,” she muttered. “But I guess you’ll make a decent colony for all the elites.”

“Not if I have anything to say about it.”

The builder glanced over her shoulder, seeing the infamous Rose Quartz sitting in one of the brown structured slightly above her. Smirking, Bismuth turned back to look at the landscape. “You can try,” she chuckled. “But you can bet the Diamonds will do whatever to stop you. I’m sure you’ve noticed that the patrols have escalated.”

“We’ve noticed,” replied the rebel. “I heard about what happened today. Are you alright?”

“Me?” the gem asked, looking up and shrugging. “I’d say I got out okay, though I do have to thank your squad. I would’ve been squashed by that injector and that would’ve been the end to my _bismuth_.”

That got a laugh from the quartz, who nodded. “Well, I’m glad Pearl and Garnet were able to help,” she said. “It’s not our intention to hurt anyone, just stop them from hurting the planet.”

“Good luck with that,” Bismuth said. “I admire the dedication, but you should know you can’t go above the Diamonds. We aren’t made for that and it’s not what we’re made to do.”

“What do _you_ want then?”

“Excuse me?”

“I know gems are made for a purpose,” Rose said. “But as you can see, some of us are going against that purpose, deciding what _we_ want. That’s the beauty of this planet; the creatures here choose their own paths, nothing is set for them. They make their own choices and that should be something to be celebrated, not extinguished.”

Bismuth looked at the quartz in confusion. What did _she_ want? No one had ever asked her or any other gem what they wanted before because…well, their purpose was to serve, not ask. Even asking for help was a foreign concept because gems didn’t need help, they were a superior race and species that knew the specifications of what was needed and how to go about getting it. The concept was strange, but something Bismuth had been looking for, something that had been missing from her.

The builder knew exactly what she wanted to do - she wanted to create something that was for _her_. Something that she and other gems like her could enjoy. it didn't matter what - an axe, a tower, whatever. Bismuth just wanted to build something that meant something to her. Time after time, structure after structure, she had dedicated her talents to whatever the _Diamonds_ wanted or what the _elites_ wanted, but here, only a few yards away from where she was setting up a gem kindergarten, the rebel leader had asked Bismuth what she wanted. So, Bismuth told her.

That was the day Bismuth joined the Crystal Gems, following the directive of wanting to do something for oneself instead of being told what to do. The builder would uphold that ideal, even when it conflicted against the true focus of the rebellion.

The consequences of that wouldn’t be known for centuries.

 

* * *

* * *

 

Despite the presence and interference of the rebels, Homeworld was continuing to build structures on what would hopefully become another colony for the gempire. The seriousness of the rebellion was still far from being a noticeable threat, regardless of the actions of Rose Quartz and the shattering of Pink Diamond. The reason was simple – the entire rose quartz gem type was obviously defective and for that, the rebel leader was not only dangerous, but unstable.

The fact that she was in the company of a defective pearl and an abomination was no matter; sooner or later, the rebels would be captured and tried for their treason. It certainly wasn’t anything that warranted the halt of construction. The rumors that the rebellion was growing in the face of more Homeworld gems on the ground was also not a concern; so they had gotten a jasper and a bismuth within their ranks. So what?

It just meant they would need a bigger venue for the public shattering.

Crazy Lace Agate, Cut 8U9, Facet 0M7, like all the agates and other superiors was told to keep on watch for the rebels. While other gems might not have been that concerned, Crazy Lace was, at least in terms of the rebels coming upon her site. There was worry that the rebels would turn their attention on their area, destroying their hard work and creating more work than any gem wanted.

Normally, Crazy Lace was a fair commander – something that was sometimes unheard of within gem camps – keeping up the morale of the gems under her, but even this happy gem was feeling the stresses of trying to get this settlement up and running to further this colony. The Diamonds, especially Yellow, were growing incensed with the lack of progress happening on the little backwater planet; the continued disruptive path of the rebels was causing delays that could not be afforded, especially not when there was no Diamond in charge of overseeing the process.

After the incident with the rogue ruby and sapphire, Blue Diamond supposedly never returned to the planet and more patrols had begun to land on the ground, ensuring the colony would continue despite the absence of the youngest Diamond. Crazy Lace didn’t truly understand the reason behind any of this and to be honest, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to or not; it just seemed too much of a burden. She was an agate, a lowly one at that, and while she didn’t exactly enjoy her station, she had accepted it and carried on. This didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy her job or its location – being assigned the Earth colony from her station on Blue Diamond’s colony 694 or the Artilus colony, Crazy Lace had left her position as agate overseer for the production mines.

As an agate, Crazy Lace was always placed in charge of the other gems, her gem type alone standing for intimidation and fear for lower gems. While many of her type used their height and demeanor to their advantage, Crazy Lace was much more laid back; she was stern when she needed to be, like when a gem wasn’t doing their job correctly, but in most cases she treated her underlings with a small measure of respect, recognizing the hard work involved in creating an extension of their great empire.

Despite being an agate, Crazy Lace had an appreciation for beauty in all things, be it the musical and dance talents of pearls to the majesty of the highest tower and bright spire.

Earth wouldn’t have been her first choice of colony to work on, but the agate was soon surprised by how many different areas surrounded the planet. She had only worked on two of the new warp travel technology locations, but both had been in two different areas that were complete opposites of each other and a total departure from what most gems had been used to on the Diamond colonies. One area was very hot and bright, while the other seemed to have liquid fall from the sky at various times of the day.

It was quite confusing.

And quite fascinating.

The dark orange gem couldn’t help but enjoy the sights as she directed her workers to build these new transport hubs. As with most colonizations, the ideal plans had of course been shared with all superior officers in order to know which project they would be in charge of and what the ultimate building would be. From what she had seen and what she knew, the remaining Diamonds had wanted better ways to travel to and from a colony, especially in the case of one of them being in danger. Hence the scientists had been hard at work to discover how to accomplish this and at the end, they had created warp technology.

Crazy Lace wasn’t sure how she felt about traveling this way – a light stream in which gems could travel from one place to another – especially when ship traveling had been perfectly fine before and was still a tried and true method of travel, despite taking a few hours at most to reach somewhere (usually). But it wasn’t for her to say or disagree with; she was just an agate and one that was supposed to be overseeing the construction of this new means of travel.

Her location today was in a bright area, surrounded by green stalks that came from the ground, with some of these having various other colors on them. Crazy Lace was enticed by these new colors – some that matched the hues of the Diamonds and some that didn’t – and by the strange creatures that seemed to roam around the area. Thankfully, the creatures didn’t stray too close to the gem encampment, which the agate thought was a reasonable course of action, seeing as most jaspers, rubies, and amethysts were keen on testing their strength against these things.

Today’s project was to build this warp pad among the vegetation here, a field covered in green as far as Crazy Lace could see – and as a gem, she could see pretty far – from the green that came from stalks in the ground to the tight cropping of green that were littered in little nooks and crannies. Her small group of bismuths had already finished the base of the pad and were now working on the transporting pad. There was a lot of scientific techno babble that went into the design of these things, hence why there were three apatites standing off to the side and monitoring the construction.

Crazy Lace observed the group, turning to the side to watch as her small guard of rubies ran after one another in the distance. It was shaping up to be a productive day, if she did say so herself – this was the second teleporter they were building today and if her bismuths kept up the good work, they might be able to get the whole lot of 76 done today and maybe they could move on to one of the spire areas; honestly, Crazy Lace was looking forward to that. She loved the spires and towers on Homeworld – so tall, so beautiful…

“Psst.”

The first hiss went unheard as Crazy Lace continued her observation walk, feeling the strange breeze that cropped up every now and then. Her journey directed her towards some of the green clumps, giving her a clear view of all three groups, as well as the landscape.

“Psst!”

The second hiss hit her senses, causing the agate to look right, then left, then right again before her head immediately turned back to her left. The sound was coming from the green cluster or rather, the tan gem that was hidden among the cluster. Quickly turning back to avoid any suspicion, Crazy Lace muttered, “What are you doing here?”

“What?” replied the jasper formerly known as 4BV from facet 5B2, who now known as ‘Biggs’. “I just wanted to say hi to you. Hi. How are you?”

“Well, I was infinitely better before I saw you,” came the retort.

“Aw, that’s why I like you, CL,” Biggs chuckled. “You’re sassy. I like sassy.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Crazy Lace replied. “So I’m just going to go now…”

“Well, wait! Hold on!”

“What?”

“What’re you doing?” Biggs asked. “I mean here. Or rather, over there. Been trying to figure out what you’ve got going on this side of the planet.”

The correct response would’ve been to tell this jasper, this traitor, to leave her area and immediately report her to the Diamonds. Oh, Crazy Lace knew exactly who this particularly gem was – Biggs, as she wanted to be called, had been a recent recruit into the rebel faction, joining the renegade pearl, the fusion, and an unnamed bismuth who had disappeared only a few months earlier. And of course, it would be this one gem that the agate would encounter.

This was not the first time Crazy Lace had spoken to the tan gem – like the other rebels, this one just seemed to randomly show up in different areas and places, some where Crazy Lace wasn’t even located. For a gem who tried not to care about whatever it was the rebels were doing, the agate seemed to speak with at least one – this one in particular – on an increasingly regular basis.

“If I tell you,” the agate whispered. “Will you go away before someone notices me speaking to you?”

“No one is going to notice,” Biggs smirked. “Your entire ruby squad is running around like a bunch of mini two-legs, your bismuths seem to be discussing something that is not about work, and…I’m not sure what the blue colored gems over there are doing…”

“Those are apatites,” Crazy Lace replied. “They’re part of Homeworld’s elite scientific team and they are, apparently, creating a new way to travel.”

“Oh yeah?” asked the jasper. “Well, tell me more, CL. You know I love it when you talk operations.”

The agate couldn’t help the chuckle or the slight blush that graced her face. They had been playing these games for awhile now, resulting in the gem giving away more information than she meant and wasn’t intending to do. It was only later that she realized her conversations were fueling the rebels, allowing them inside information about upcoming gem installations.

“I shouldn’t even be speaking to you,” the agate huffed. “Don’t think I haven’t realized the true reason you seem to seek me out. I find it highly suspicious that our ‘conversations’ often lead to you rebels destroying the very structure we previously discussed.”

She sent a side glance to the jasper, who nodded in agreement. “I will never lie to you, Lacey,” Biggs whispered. “So yes, we’ve used your intel to stop the construction of some of those towers, spires, and kindergartens. But the reason why it’s usually me that gets to bask in your glorious presence is because I like talking to you.

“And getting to see you is an extra bonus.”

“Flattery will only get you halfway.”

“Just halfway?” questioned the jasper.

“Well…” the agate admitted. “Maybe more than half. Alright, then. This is the second warp pad we’ve constructed today and I know for a fact that the plans for this colony has them in every facet.”

“Every facet!?”

Crazy Lace shushed her, glancing at the rubies, before nodding. “And this isn’t even the main hub.” The agate gave the jasper a look.

“Tell me.”

“No.”

“What?”

“I’m sorry,” Crazy Lace responded, turning back to observe the area. She knew her duty – she was an agate, a loyal member of Yellow Diamond’s court, and she was in charge of getting this colony back into its proper shape. The beings on this planet were lesser creatures and the very fact that the rebels were standing in the way of progress proved that they were highly defective or lacked the intelligence to fully comprehend what their empire could truly be with this one planet.

“But I won’t say anymore unless I speak to your leader.”

“You want to speak to Rose?”

The agate nodded. “I believe this is something that she needs to hear,” Crazy Lace said. “No offense to you, regardless of my enjoyment of these talks, but I believe your leader needs to be aware of the actual scale and scope of what you’re truly up against.”

“That sounds serious,” the jasper murmured. “Alright, I’ll get you a meeting. Give me a day or so and I’ll come back to you on where to meet.”

“How will you find me?” asked Crazy Lace, as she spared a glance towards the former soldier.

Biggs smirked. “I’ll always find you,” she chuckled.

The agate couldn’t help, but turn fully to face her companion, however the jasper was already gone, her figure moving off into the distance. Her actions were noticed, hearing the shouts of her ruby guards coming from behind her as they began a chase after the rebel. One of the rubies, the squad leader, reached her as her breathen ran past. “Was that one of the rebels?” she asked, panting.

Scrambling for an answer, Crazy Lace blurted, “I-I’m…I’m unsure. I didn’t even notice her until now.”

“Probably trying to do a sneak attack on you,” the leader growled. “What’re you doing over here anyways?”

Straightening, the agate looked down at the shorter gem. “Not that it’s any of your business,” she commanded. “But I happened to be scouting the area. Besides, this seemed as good a place as any to keep watch over you. We have a very busy today and while I’ve let you all have your fun, I think this is a good sign that we should be getting back to work.”

The ruby leader immediately snapped to attention. “Right,” she said. “Of course, my agate. I’ll go catch up with the others and see if they’ve found anything. I’ll also set up a patrol. It’s never good when the rebels know where we are.”

The agate nodded at the suggestion, watching as the little gem went off to catch her squad members. Turning, Crazy Lace began to make her way back towards the bismuths and apatites, her mind already turning with the implications of what she had just agreed to, of what she had been unwittingly doing for some time. She had been supplying the rebels with information and now, she had just agreed to – nay, demanded – an audience with the rebel leader herself.

What was she thinking?

Doing this would brand her a traitor in the eyes of Homeworld – she was aiding and abetting the enemy and without any conscious thought or concern. Worse, the agate didn’t feel any type of remorse for her actions; she liked the planet and found the creatures to be fascinating. Was this how Rose Quartz felt? Was this how the other rebels felt?

There must have been something to it, as she had seen the very concept trickle down to various gems. It wasn’t talked about openly – not if you wanted to get through your life cycle without being dissipated or shattered – but Crazy Lace had heard murmurs among those who wondered why the rebellion had started and wondered what the appeal could be. She knew there were whispers about how life could be different on this potential colony and what could be next for the rebellion.

The agate had wondered that herself, but even only being on the planet for a short while, she could see the beauty here. And she would be lying if being here hadn’t improved her demeanor at times. While she always tried to be happy and gleeful in her work, it could be difficult when having to deal with gems who were…not exactly high on the emotional scale. Rubies were always easy to talk to, but the same couldn’t be said for her fellow agates or quartzes.

Crazy Lace felt she was probably a rarity when it came to most agates. It wasn’t to say that agates couldn’t be jovial or kind, but in a society where order was praised above anything else, superiors needed to show strength. Sometimes she felt more joy when that strength wasn’t based on scaring her own squad of workers. Gems really were fascinating creatures in their own right, especially when looking at different gem types; obviously gems were produced to fulfill a certain task in order to grow and stabilize the gempire and that was important.

But Crazy Lace couldn’t lie – there seemed to be a purpose for this planet, something that the rebels had apparently seen but was out of the grasp of most Homeworld gems on the planet. And the agate was curious as to what that purpose was.

 

* * *

 

It took two cycles of the ball of light to rise in the sky before Crazy Lace heard back from the jasper known as Biggs. To be honest, she hadn’t really believed the gem would be able to find her, not when she had been reassigned to work in another facet; but leave it to the rebels to know exactly where she was, even when she didn’t.

Her newest area was even stranger than her first, this time she was quite possibly in the middle of nowhere. The landscape here was flat, different from the other areas she had been in which had curved platforms and slopes; it was also had a new terrain, a gritty substance that felt similar to what surrounded some of the liquid areas she had seen and heard about. However, there was no liquid anywhere near here.

This place was the site of what would eventually become a communication tower, making it easier for gems to communicate back to their ships or their Diamonds. They still had wailing stones, which Crazy Lace honestly thought to be easier to conduct any kind of transmission, however from what she understood, this large tower could pick up the transmissions from the stones, making it simpler to connect. The agate wouldn’t begin to try and understand how it all worked, but it seemed as though Homeworld was making another shift towards transformation.

For each colony conquered and for each millennia, the Diamonds made the effort to push their gem scientists to find the most efficient and effective measures of growing society. Gems were by far the most technologically advanced species in the galaxy, an easy feat when they were able to adopt or overwrite the advances of those they conquered. Given that gems were produced for the sheer purpose of furthering their own kind, steps were always taken to ensure that each planet chosen for colonization would meet or exceed the requirements set.

Given that there was scarcely any cover to be had and a group of gems were either working on or patrolling the hub itself, Crazy Lace had been shocked to hear a voice behind her, the same one who had been providing various commentary whenever she was allowed a free moment to observe her minions. “Tomorrow. Facet 6. Come alone.”

She barely had enough time to nod before the presence was gone, giving no indication that anyone had even seen her arrive or escape. Crazy Lace was actually quite stunned no calls of alarm had gone up and that no one had seen the strange jasper just come and go, but the agate realized that current events did seem pretty farfetched. Who could have predicted a gem turning against their own kind? It was unheard of, unexpected, and unprecedented.

For all the agate knew, that was how the jasper and others under Rose’s banner were able to come and go almost freely – Rose Quartz and her pearl were the truly recognized threats, with the fusion right behind them because of how unusual she was. However, any other gem under her banner could no doubt walk in or out of any area, with no one being the wiser. After all, wasn’t she doing something similar?

She had already been funneling information to them, even if she hadn’t done it intentionally, it had been done. And now, she had just set up a place and time to meet with the rebel leader to inform her of the galaxy warp that was being built. If Rose Quartz was truly trying to save the planet, then gaining access to the galaxy warp or destroying it would be the only way to put a dent in the plans of the Diamonds. And if she did this, she would be a traitor to her people, the same way the rebels were.

Was that what she wanted?

Throughout the day, Crazy Lace’s thought battled back and forth – her allegiance to her Diamond and Homeworld, her actions with the rebels and the one named Biggs. She could easily turn away from either path and only one could lead to her shattering with certainty. The agate knew she was taking a huge risk with the information she knew and sharing it could change everything. But she could also turn the tide of this rebellion by notifying her superiors and telling them where they could find the traitor Rose Quartz.

Crazy Lace was, if not happy, at least a contented gem. Her station afforded her a life style that she liked and while not one of an elite, with a pearl or a cozy office in which to conduct business, she was content with what she had. Turning in the rebels would elevate that station – she would get a pearl of her own, she would get the cozy office, and she would have the respect of the Diamonds. Could she same the same for siding with the rebels?

What would she accomplish with them?

They were traitors, constantly on the move, destroying the hard work of every gem that constructed towers and spires for their Diamonds; former Diamonds she guessed. They were standing in the way of progress, even if there were more planets in more galaxies, this was the one they were working on and now, it had no Diamond to rule it and a rebellion had begun with her former unruly subjects. Crazy Lace, like most gems, didn’t understand why Rose and the others had done this, why they had done so on this planet, and what was so special about it. Joining the rebels, or at least helping them, might show her the answer.

But was it worth giving up everything for those answers?

When the light began to fade, the agate was still thinking about it, still conflicted, even as dark began to turn into the next day until Crazy Lace had to make a decision.

 

* * *

 

The former gem-controlled sky arena seemed like the perfect place for a meeting. At least Biggs thought so and it seemed a good enough idea that Rose, Pearl, and Garnet accompanied her; resting high above the clouds in what was known as facet 6, the arena had been a place for entertainment and events, mostly for the amusement of the Diamonds or their elite gems.

It was intact, despite the number of skirmishes that taken place between the Crystal Gems and Homeworld forces. Any time they got word of an event happening, they were immediately there to break it up; Rose didn’t want to outright destroy it because it did make a decent hideout, especially when it was under their control. How Rose managed to build up a network of spies, Biggs didn’t know or even question, but inevitably the rebel leader always knew when something was going down.

This was where Biggs decided to call their meeting, a somewhat neutral place despite currently being in their hands. She had hoped it was too small to get into anything other than a small fight should her instincts be wrong, but she didn’t think they were. CL didn’t seem the type to fit within the suffocating order and obedience of Homeworld, even if her smiles said something different.

She hadn’t really given the gem a time, only a place, but she was willing to wait it out. She couldn’t say the same about the others. Pearl had already made the complaint of just how many minutes had ticked by waiting for this new arrival and while Garnet usually tried to show a calmness in her demeanor and actions, Biggs had noticed her fidgeting, something she had to attribute to her ruby being bored.

Rose thankfully had stood next to her, calmly and patiently waiting as an unknown gem treated upon their sacred ground. The jasper knew she had a lot riding on this and she was just hopeful that CL wouldn’t let her down.

“I don’t think this gem is going to show,” replied the renegade. The four of them stood on the platform entrance to the arena, having full view of the steps on either side and the warp pad below. Pearl stood next to Rose, as was her custom, with Garnet flanking her left. While neither rebel leader or fusion had weapons, Pearl’s signature sword stood before her, the gem’s pale hands draped over the pummel.

“She’ll be here,” Biggs insisted, sparing her only a side glance.

“This could be a trap,” added Garnet. Though small, it had been clear from the start that Rose took both Pearl and Garnet’s words of advice or caution to heart (if she had one, of course). Leader she may have been, Rose knew instantly she would need counsel as their efforts and their cause seemed to grow – Pearl’s eye for detail and memory served as the perfect arm for strategy and thanks to the predicative scope of Garnet’s sapphire component, the fusion made for a competent tactician.

“Or she could think _she’s_ walking into a trap,” the jasper countered. “With all four of us standing here. The only one we’re missing is Bismuth. Speaking of…where _is_ Bismuth?”

Bismuth, like Biggs, was a new recruit into the Crystal Gems and probably more excited about joining than the jasper had been. While not a soldier per se, the former builder did have a wealth of knowledge when it came to the structures Homeworld was trying to build, making it that much easier for them to stop the process without anyone truly getting hurt.

“She said she had to go work on something,” Rose replied, grinning. “She said it was a surprise and would only show us when it was completed. It sounds very exciting.”

“Terrific,” the jasper muttered. Rose was excited about _anything_ and _everything_ that came across her field of vision, so Bismuth could easily come back with one of those flower things she liked and she would think it was the greatest thing in the galaxy. “I was hoping she would be here to get more info on this,” she continued. “And now CL isn’t going to meet her until who knows when…”

“You seem to have this all planned out,” Garnet interrupted.

“Of course I planned this out,” Biggs said. “I’m not going to just give us up to Homeworld, you can bet on that, but Lacey isn’t like other Homeworld gems.”

Pearl could resist the thought no longer. Peering around the quartz next to her to address Biggs, she asked, “What exactly is your interest in this particular agate?”

Biggs could feel her face grow warm, her brown cheeks growing dark in embarrassment. Turning to look at the others, she tried to explain as best as she could without stumble. “W-What? What interest?” she fumbled. “There’s no…there’s no interest in…in anything. I mean, she’s a competent leader in her own right, she treats the gems that serve her with respect, and she’s led us to areas we didn’t even know were being constructed…”

“You know, you’ve mentioned her by several names that show signs of affection,” the fusion pointed out.

“You’re not helping me,” Biggs replied, sending a look to the taller gem. “Stop, don’t add. Because there’s nothing to add. Why would there be anything to add?”

The topic was dropped for the moment, though Biggs could tell all three were just itching to say something. They had everything out of context – the only interest Biggs had was that CL could be a help to them and in return, maybe they could help her. The fact that she was easy to get along with and had a nice smile had nothing to do with anything. So lost in her thoughts, she nearly missed Garnet announcing the approach of someone, however it took five minutes before the warp pad lit up with light and left the figure of Crazy Lace standing there.

“You’re here,” Biggs blurted, causing the agate to look up.

Crazy Lace hadn’t expected the pearl or the fusion to be in attendance and to be honest, their presence alone seemed to unnerve her slightly. “Shall I come up?” she asked, timidly, her eyes straying to the jasper.

Biggs nodded quickly. “Of course!” The quartet watched as the agate began to make her way towards the steps before her. “Don’t embarrass me,” the jasper whispered.

“That’s all we’re going to do now,” came the cheeky response from the quartz.

The agate took the steps slowly, her eyes immediately drawn to the Great Authority symbol that was painted on the side of the wall. It was strange seeing it, the icon of the former four Diamonds; it was something she had been seeing less and less of in the structures that were being built. It was rather ironic, that gems continued to build in her name and what should have been her planet.

And yet, this sky arena was possibly one of the last locations that held her Diamond symbol.

Pink Diamond, the youngest of their gem matriarchs, was being erased as though she was a common foot soldier; like a lone ruby directed to go before a squad of quartzes.

If they would do that to their own fellow Diamond, what fate would befall her once her deception and defection were known? As she rounded the corner, the agate saw the four rebels had moved down the second set of steps to greet her – Biggs standing lower in order to greet her, with Rose Quartz only a step behind her. The renegade pearl and the fusion were a bit higher up, a better vantage point or attack spot, Crazy Lace couldn’t be sure.

Rose Quartz was unlike any gem the agate had met before. She seemed to completely tower over everyone, even on the steps of the arena. She no longer dressed in the uniform of her fellow quartz soldiers, instead she wore a flowing white dress with the middle open to show off her quartz gem. “Lacey,” Biggs began, looking back at the rebel leader. “This is Rose Quartz. Rose Quartz, Lace…er…Crazy Lace.”

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” Rose said, smiling warmly at the agate. “Biggs hasn’t stopped talking about you since that event with the supplies in facet 9.”

“No,” the jasper quickly chuckled. “I haven’t. Talked about you, that is.”

“Non-stop, seems like,” added Garnet.

“No.”

“Crazy Lace this, Crazy Lace that,” Pearl piped up.

“No, I didn’t,” Biggs cried, nervously and looking back at the others. Turning quickly to face the agate, she continued with, “I-I…didn’t…they’re exaggerating. I mentioned…I may have…mentioned you once. In passing. I don’t think I even used your name! Not…not…that…I didn’t want to, cause I didn’t…I mean I didn’t know what it was or what you wanted…to…do…and…enough of that. Moving on to more relevant things that are not…this…conversation.”

The agate nodded. “Of course,” she said. “I think…I think you need to know what’s happening with the warp systems or what _will_ be the warp systems.”

Though she didn’t lose the charm or cheer, Crazy Lace noted that the smile did lessen on the leader’s face. “We can talk within the arena,” she said, turning and following her fellow rebels further up the steps and into the arena proper. The agate followed, gaining an encouraging nod from Biggs as the jasper let her pass. Crazy Lace had never been to the arena before, something that must have shown on her face because the others allowed her the moment to just take a look around. It was a fully enclosed area, despite being above the clouds; the marble floors still shone brightly, though Crazy Lace couldn’t tell if that was the natural look of the floor or the fact that the north stands had a hole in them.

There was some obvious damage here – where there had once been four pillars, now only three stood fully, while the fourth near the same place where the large hole was, had been cut down to half its size.

“Pardon the mess,” Rose quipped as she began to walk down. “We…uh, had a little disagreement up here a few days ago. Got a little heated.”

Both the pearl and fusion chuckled at that, a clever inside joke that the agate didn’t truly understand. The group reached the ground floor, with the rebels taking seats in the stands, leaving Crazy Lace to face her audience. “Biggs says you have something you needed to tell us,” the rebel leader began, looking intently at their presenter. Crazy Lace noticed the inflexion – ‘us’ and not ‘me’, as she had been expecting.

Again, Biggs gave her an encouraging nod from her seat, strangely giving the agate a boost of confidence. “As you know,” she began. “Our D…the Diamonds have been moving forward to finish the colonization of this planet. One of the projects I’ve been working on have been the warp pads, with the idea that they might replace the standard gem drop ship.”

“I heard that, too,” the pearl spoke up. “When…back before. Not to say that these warp pads aren’t incredibly useful, I’m not sure they could completely replace ship travel.”

“Those pads aren’t big enough to shuttle a large group of gems,” the fusion added. “Especially not if there’s a shipment of supplies coming.”

“That’s because you haven’t seen the galaxy warp.”

“The what now?” asked Rose.

“That’s…what I wanted to tell you,” Crazy Lace sighed. “You’re right; these small amounts of warp pads are nothing when taking into consideration the transport of troops. However, these are just the start. I’ve heard and seen the initial plans – the thought is to have a main warp hub on the planet and once that’s been constructed and working, the plan is to build one for each facet.”

Before her, Crazy Lace could see the realization come across the faces of the rebels. “Each facet?” asked the pearl, turning to look at her leader. “We only know of seven so far, how many facets are they planning?”

“You’re familiar with the colonization process,” the agate replied. “You know there can be upwards of forty facets, depending on the area size and size of the colony.”

“So to put it bluntly,” the fusion said. “This is a problem.”

Crazy Lace nodded. “That’s probably an understatement,” she murmured. “There’s something called a galaxy warp that we’ve just finished. It’s capable of transporting a large amount of gems to the planet, with bi-directional transportation back to Homeworld.” She let that sink in. “If you think the planet’s occupation now is large, just wait.”

A galaxy warp. Something that could bring even more gems to the planet in a very short amount of time; no more waiting for drop ships to deploy from the planet and long special flight would become obsolete. Despite the delays they had managed to bring about to the daily activities, there were only six Crystal Gems, though Rose and Pearl did know of sympathizers who would help when they could. But six gems against the hundreds that were already on the planet was difficult enough; six gems against thousands?

The stakes were starting to grow and Rose, not for the first time, realized that this was more than simply just trying to protect the planet and its inhabitants. She had just wanted to keep the earth from the hands of her people – but it was becoming clear there was more going on. There seemed to be a rebellion within gems who were on the planet. The Crystal Gems didn’t just talk about how beautiful the planet was, but how freeing it could be.

A rose quartz who fought for the two legs and strange creatures on the surface.

A pearl who belonged to no one.

A fusion held together not by fighting instincts, but affection.

A bismuth who wanted to build for her, not for the tyrants who instructed her.

A jasper who wanted answers to her questions, an understanding to an extraordinary event.

“Why are you doing this?”

“What?”

“Rose!”

The rebel leader shot a look at the jasper at her side before turning back to the agate before her. “You’ve provided us with valuable information,” she clarified. “Information that led us to, basically, destroy the work that you yourself have been in charge of. And we appreciate it, of course! Please don’t believe that we don’t, but…it still begs the question. Why are _you_ doing this?

“From your perspective, we’re your enemy. We’re stopping the progress of a new colony and I…I am responsible for the demise of one of the Diamonds. And I am, apparently, the cause for defection of a pearl, a ruby, a sapphire, a bismuth, and a jasper – I’m a danger to gems and gem society. So…why are you helping us? Why are you helping _me_?”

That was the question, wasn’t it? It was the same thing Crazy Lace had been asking herself since she first realized that her talk with Biggs had given the rebels inside information about a gem artifact that they now possessed. Looking around her, the agate saw the contrast between the sky above them and the arena that surrounded them.

Pointing at the bright light ball in the sky, she asked, “Have you watched the ball of light sink down in the sky? When it goes down, the sky turns dark, a darker blue than Blue Diamond herself; and the stars come out, lighting up the sky. It’s quite beautiful. And then, it rises back, turning the dark into light. It’s…it’s so spectacular! It’s full of reds and oranges and…”

She hadn’t realized she had been gushing about the planet and its creatures until she looked back to see the rebels all smiling at her. “You asked me why I was doing this,” she whispered, a small smile on her own face. “While I hold no hope that this would make any difference…this is a remarkable planet, a beautiful planet. The towers and spires of Homeworld are lovely, but so is the process of the sky turning different colors.

“I’m helping you because I don’t want that beauty to be lost, even if it means I trade towers for those tall leverage poles with the green hanging bits.”

“Trees,” Rose supplied, her smile growing larger as she listened to the agate. “That’s what they’re called.”

Crazy Lace nodded. “Then I trade towers for trees.”

Biggs immediately jumped and gathered the agate in her arms, lifting her slightly off her feet and causing a blush to appear on her face. “Do you know what this means?” she exclaimed.

“That I’ve made a questionable decision?”

Setting the agate back on her feet, Biggs stared happily at her. “You’re a Crystal Gem!”

Startled, Crazy Lace looked at the jasper in shock. “You can’t just arbitrarily make a member of your group!” she cried, looking nervously at Rose.

“Sure I can,” Biggs responded, putting the gem down, but not removing her arm from around her waist. Pointing at the fusion, she stated, “Garnet literally fell into the group.”

The fusion bristled a little. “I did not,” she – they? – protested. “I…yes, I may have tripped, but I rolled, gracefully, down that hill.”

“She did,” the pearl added. “And she was screaming with as much dignity as one can when rolling down a hill.”

“That’s not true.”

“No,” Rose replied, smirking. “I also thought you managed to hold as much dignity as you could when you came down screaming.”

“There was no screaming.”

Crazy Lace looked at the rebels before her and for the first time in a very long time, she found herself to be incredibly happy. They didn’t seem evil or defective; they had just seen what she had – the beautiful planet under all of the construction and gem structures. And it was clear to see that the others were there for reasons outside of protecting the planet – they were protecting the atmosphere that the land brought; a freedom of choice, a freedom to be what you wanted to be, to help who you wanted to help.

No Diamonds, citrines, _agates_ to them what to do or follow rules they didn’t want. Turning her head, she watched as Biggs laughed at some joke she shared with the others and feeling came over her that she couldn’t exactly explain, especially not when the jasper turned to look and smile at her. Any doubts about her decision were suddenly erased.

She was a Crystal Gem now, whether she liked it or not.

 

* * *

* * *

 

The court of White Diamond was steeped in mystery, even when it came to her own fellow matriarchs. That was the same thing said for the gems in her court – all of them seemed to hold mystery and intrigue about them, never saying anything that would give out unneeded or unnecessary information.

White Diamond’s court held some of the rarest gems and most of the elites. In fact, many of the elites that served the courts of Yellow, Blue, and formerly Pink came from the generosity of White herself. Her court held the intellectual gems and most of the technicians until they began to be transferred to Yellow’s court during the gem war to be used for military purposes. All the smartest gems in the empire descended from White’s court and many of them would never let you forget it.

Snowflake was a rare obsidian gem, formed from the hottest rock on Migglin 2, a colony within White’s massive collection of planets. She was one of seven obsidian gems who served their Diamond as tactical commanders, in the sense that they would be brought in when gems couldn’t fulfill their purpose. Basically, the purpose of a snowflake was to discover any impurities within a gem, holding the decision of service or shattering in the palm of their hands.

This particular snowflake had been a constant source of help for her Diamond and it was her unique abilities that were chosen on this assignment. The conflict on Earth colony had been kept a close guarded secret among the elites and other working gems on Homeworld and other colonies and that was exactly how the Diamonds wanted it to continue. It was bad enough they had one rogue gem in their midst, the fact that one lone rose quartz had managed to gather a number of other gems to her cause was alarming.

And it was nothing to say on her actions that led to the shattering of Pink Diamond.

Yellow Diamond, as the leader of their military force, wanted to just destroy the planet and everything (and everyone) on it. The colonization effort was becoming a colossal failure that tempted to seep itself deeper into the minds of their own citizens. Obviously, there was something wrong with the planet when loyal gems felt the need to turn on their own kind and Yellow didn’t care the how or why, just that this insolence and betrayal could not be tolerated.

White and Blue Diamond felt something different.

To be completely honest, White Diamond didn’t care either way – destroy the planet, don’t destroy the planet, in the grand scheme of things it was just one, singular planet. It was nothing in comparison to the other planets under their control nor the planets that lay in wait for the taking. But Blue had managed to get to her, plead a case for finding out _why_ their youngest member had been silenced so quickly and what had made her own court member turn against her.

That’s where Snowflake from facet 3J4, cut 5M1 came in.

As a snowflake, her purpose was to focus on tasks that required deep thinking and concentration. Like Blue Diamond’s sapphires, snowflake obsidians didn’t succumb to emotional upheavals, however unlike the seers in her court, obsidian gems didn’t have the inner clutter of thoughts that could weigh on one’s mind, allowing them to focus on the task at hand, making them sharp when it came to thinking things through. Snowflakes were calm, a direct contrast to the overly emotional rubies and quick-tempered quartz soldiers.

Like their Diamond, they were logical, precise, orderly, and highly above the other intellects from their neighboring courts.

Despite the name and court placement, Snowflake was actually the color of the coal that was sometimes used in their processing plants; it was only the varying spots of white that marked her outside of the rare obsidian class. The contrast was made even more dramatic by the short cut of white hair that covered her head and the white body suit she wore, the sleeves cutting off slightly above her elbows and a high collar that surrounded her neck.

Deciding to humor Blue, White Diamond had picked 5M1 for a special assignment, one that even Yellow didn’t know about. She had been called into the personal chambers of her Diamond, nothing completely out of the ordinary, but seeing Blue Diamond there with her _was_. Both Diamonds had made the commitment to meet on the gempire hub planet, though most gems were only aware that White had arrived.

“You requested me, my Diamond?” she asked, saluting to both in respect.

“Ah, there you are,” the elder matriarch replied, sitting on her throne, legs crossed at the knee as she looked down on the gem before her. Blue stood dejectedly beside her, her pearl standing close by. Snowflake had never seen the azure Diamond in person before, but she certainly didn’t look the way she had ever imagined; though her face was covered by the hood she wore, the obsidian could see that her face was drawn and her eyes seemed even darker than her own coloring.

It had been no secret that since the assassination of Pink Diamond by the terrorist rebel leader Rose Quartz, gem society had been reeling from the shocking and horrific incident. Gems already were suspicious to trust each other, unless absolutely necessary, but this pushed everything to the edge; that is, if more gems knew about it. Only those on a need to know basis knew that the quartz soldier had turned a pearl and accepted a fusion abomination into her ranks and that earth was currently being contested by this group of rebels.

Most gems, while aware that their youngest Diamond had been shattered, were under the impression that the remaining Diamonds were doing their utmost best to curb this defective gem and her ilk from further tainting their glorious empire. On a whole, most of Homeworld and the surrounding colonies thought that whatever was happening on Earth would soon be dealt with; the truth was of course worse than they had imagined.

That’s what had Blue and White combining forces and calling in 5M1.

“I have a very important and very covert mission for you,” the elder continued. “What is discussed here will be for your edification only and should anything said within this chamber fall into the wrong hands, there will be consequences. Is that understood?”

The threat was quite clear. “Yes, my Diamond,” the obsidian replied, bowing her head. “I am always at your service. How may I serve?”

And so her Diamond explained. The situation on earth was growing out of hand, something that should have been contained from the very start. The rebel quartz was gathering followers it seemed, but her motives were still unclear; loyal gems reported that she seemed to be protecting the organics on earth, destroying the structures that were being built and putting a halt to the progression of their empire. White Diamond was convinced these gems were merely defective, however Blue Diamond seemed to believe something more was going on.

“Your assignment is to discover the motives of this rebel group,” White said. “I want to know what their plans are and why they have forsaken everything for some backwater planet full of useless and inferior organics.”

“Understood,” Snowflake nodded. “And how would my Diamond like me to proceed?”

“I have confidence that you’ll find a way to retrieve your answers,” the matriarch stated, grinning at the gem. “However, should those answers come with the…unfortunate demise of these rebels, then…well, we’ll just have to carry on as we always have.”

Again, Snowflake nodded. Her Diamond didn’t care how she got the job done, just as long as she did, and if she happened to bring the traitor back for punishment or better, shatter the leader herself, all the better.

“Find answers,” whispered Blue Diamond. It was the first time the listless shadow had spoken and Snowflake couldn’t help but startle at the disturbance. “I want to know why and how. How could one of her gems do this? And I want to know _how_ it happened.”

White sighed, as though this was a conversation that had happened several times before Snowflake’s appearance. “Blue, is that really…?”

“Yes,” the Diamond spat, her head turning slightly in order to glare at her fellow leader. “I _will_ have my answers, with or without you.”

The tension in the air was thick and despite not needing to take air into her form, Snowflake none the less felt as though she was suffocating. Her Diamond’s face only twitched, a frown slipping to and from her lips in an instant. Her gaze never left that of Blue’s, but her next commands were still directed at the gem before them.

“You are to leave immediately,” she replied. “I’m told the new galaxy warp has been completed and will allow you direct access to the planet without the need for transport. However, if you have any concerns on warp travel, see my agate and she’ll assign you a small crew and ship.”

A wave of her hand clearly signaled that their meeting was done, without the complimentary, “That will be all” that usually accompanied it.

Snowflake saluted before turning and hurrying out of the room; she had a feeling there would be a confrontation there and she didn’t want to be privy to it. Instead, she headed out the large chamber door, immediately coming into contact with a white quartz soldier, who had obviously been waiting for her.

White quartzes, like many of the gems under White Diamond, were rare and usually tasked as guard to their Diamond. Being the same height and stature as most quartzes, White Diamond’s guards were equally dressed in the same white body suit that most of the court was, showing the distinct difference between the Homeworld ruler’s court and those of her fellow leaders.

The two nodded to each other before the quartz turned and began to walk down the hall, with the obsidian following in her wake. The walk was silent, as the quartz lead Snowflake to what she assumed was the portal down to earth. Like many on Homeworld, she had heard about the latest in gem technology – warp pads, a intergalactic transport system that could carry gems to and from destinations without the need for the ever present drop ships.

Logically, this new technology was much more efficient for travel – it allowed necessary personnel travel straight away to where they were needed, while the drop ships could be used for other purposes.

Since the events on the earth colony, much of Homeworld had begun to advance their society’s technology, upgrading to further their expansion into the galaxy. Again, logically, this made sense in terms of how a society grows from infancy to thriving, the way their gempire was doing. It was a testament to their Diamonds that they had not be subjugated to their own invaders, though to be honest, there were very few species to hold up against gem kind.

Homeworld was bustling with gems of every court going about their duties. There had been no word if Yellow Diamond was there, but there were always a number of her court on Homeworld, usually in the form of guards and patrols. An unusually rowdy group of amethysts and rubies went past them in the hall, laughing about something. Normally, Snowflake would just ignore their antics, but her eye managed to catch sight of a carnelian within the group, startling her.

_They shouldn’t be here like this, but Snowflake couldn’t help it. She never thought logically around her and she never missed a chance to pull the obsidian aside for a quick cuddle…_

_“My Diamond…”_

_“This action is intolerable,” stated White Diamond. “Have you forgotten your purpose? Better yet, have you forgotten your duties to me? To your empire?”_

_“Please, my Diamond,” Snowflake pleaded. “It wasn’t her fault.”_

_“My Diamond,” replied the spinel, bowing slightly. “I was there and I can testify that this carnelian was acting very suspiciously. And I have reason to believe she may have been in contact with the rebels.”_

_“That’s a lie!” Carnelian shouted._

_“Perhaps the two of you are in league together,” Yellow Diamond sneered. “As though we don’t have enough problems on that backwater planet, it seems to have infected our very society.”_

_“I will not tolerate descent and betrayal in my court,” White stressed, motioning towards the guards to hold her._

_“Stop!”_

_“My Diamond, please!” Snowflake pleaded. “There must be some mistake!”_

“Obsidian?”

“Yes?” Snowflake croaked, her mind shifting quickly back to the present. She would need to calm herself before arriving on the earth colony, if her memories were anything to go on. She thought she had gotten past this, had put those traitorous thoughts behind her and achieved a peace that was needed in order to fulfill both her assignment and her purpose. She couldn’t get distracted.

Which is exactly what she was. So caught up in her own thoughts, Snowflake hadn’t even realized they had arrived to the newly installed warp pad at the end of the hall.

“My apologies,” she replied. “I was deep in thought.”

“Of course,” the quartz nodded. “This is the warp pad you’ll be leaving from. The technology only works if you’re departing and arriving to places where you’ve been; for obvious reasons, I’ll be accompanying you to the planet’s surface. I was a part of the ground troops that delivered more supplies and gems to the colony; I believe I can get you to one of our recent structures. From there, you’ll need to have an escort, but most of our highest members have been made aware of your arrival.”

“Thank you,” Snowflake said. “I am ready to depart if you are.”

The two moved to stand on the pad and within an instant, they were being transported within a stream of light. “What you see now is called warp space,” the quartz replied, gesturing with her head to the encompassing darkness that was outside. “You’ll want to stay within the stream when traveling.”

Seeing the look the obsidian gave her, she chuckled a bit. “Nothing that would harm a gem, I assure you,” she continued. “It’s just empty space, with very little to see when outside. However, one misstep and you could spend cycles just floating around until a ship comes rescuing you; assuming we’d be able to find you, of course.”

Snowflake found this fascinating. Gems truly were a remarkable species, not just because of their resilience and growth, but because of their technological advancements. To the obsidian’s knowledge, their species had yet to meet another that matched in their technology or superiority, which was the reason they were able to conquer so many planets in such a brief time. It was also why this colonization on Earth was so baffling.

From all reports she had read, the planet was full of strange creatures, large and small, two legs, four legs, six legs, etc. To hear these descriptions, one would think these oddities might show some sort of intelligence, something that would stand up to the might of the Diamonds and their gempire, but that wasn’t the case. The two-legged creatures could barely form sentences and their weapons and tools were rudimentary at best.

How was it possible for this colony to be in such dire straits?

The logical answer was the influence of the rebel leader Rose Quartz. But the first question on every gems’ mind was why – why would she risk everything for a species that by far the most inferior ever met? Why would she shatter her own Diamond to protect these creatures? And how and why was she able to gather gems to her side? Nothing about this planet or these rebels made sense, but that was her job – to find sense in nonsense.

The conversation with her escort was kept to a minimum while Snowflake went over the facts that she had learned and plan on how to proceed. Instinctively, she knew her Diamond wanted a spy within the rebels, but that path could be dangerous – what if Rose Quartz began to influence _her_? She had managed to convince what were once loyal gems into betraying everything they knew and the obsidian, while knowing her duty, knew that only something powerful could truly influence a gem to turn against their kind. Perhaps that was something the quartz possessed. It was unlikely – gems who relied on their minds were a part of White Diamond’s court, not Pink’s – but stranger things had been happening on the planet, so it wasn’t a completely extreme idea.

No, infiltration wasn’t the way. Snowflake would need to first investigate how these attacks were happening – how were the rebels able to get past their sentries? Was it a case of might over resistance? Or laziness on the part of the jaspers, rubies, and amethysts guarding the area?

Perhaps the rebels weren’t devoid of reason – maybe she could talk to them, find out their demands, and meet them halfway. They were still gems after all, perhaps they had been affected by the planet or maybe they were defective in the first place and it was only away from gem kind and society that these defects made themselves known.

Snowflake would need to dig very deep into what happened and what was happening on the planet.

 

* * *

 

Her first stop on Earth colony was the very first kindergarten ever built on the planet. It had been hit several times by the rebels, with the destruction of the injectors and perfectly good gem components ruined across the grit of the ground. Snowflake had seen the full schematics of the finished Earth colony, of the many towers and spires, of the kindergartens that would bring about even more gems.

Why would the rebels stop gem production?

Snowflake had made her presence known when she arrived, connecting with the agate who was leading this latest production wave. She was one of Yellow Diamond’s agates, she could tell that right off the bat, no yellow coloring needed; she was quite disciplined, ordering her bismuths and scapolites around as they set up injectors along the ground and around the walls of the canyon.

As bossy as she was, the agate was direct and straight to the point when Snowflake asked her questions. “Those infernal…defects…have struck here at least twice since my Diamond assigned me to this kindergarten,” she huffed. “It’s disgusting how they’re disrespecting our Diamonds like this.”

“Could you tell which rebels were here?” Snowflake asked.

“Once it was the abomination and that dismal bismuth,” the agate replied. “The last time one of the jaspers swear she caught a glimpse of the rebel leader herself. I of course made sure that all hands were after the traitor and her rebellious pearl.”

“Do they say anything?” the obsidian asked. “Anything that might explain all this madness?”

“Oh, they’re always spouting their traitorous propaganda,” the agate said. “Honestly, I never try to listen to it, but it’s always the same. How these organics are worth sparing and how there’s freedom on this backwater planet. Can you imagine? Have you even _seen_ these unmitigated two-legged disgraces?

“Oh no, of course not, you’ve just arrived,” she prattled on. “But they are utterly useless! They can barely speak, when they speak at all; they are primitive beings and that’s saying something! I thought I had seen primitives on Anianka 3. You remember? Those horrid little creatures who tried to fight back with their little weapons.”

Snowflake nodded. She did remember Anianka 3, a colonized planet that was under the control of Yellow Diamond, and one she had visited at least twice during the fight for occupation.

The original species had been bi-pedaled as well, nearly the size of a jasper, and came in the color of teal. They had a technological level slightly below theirs, but it was just enough to put up a fight, but they weren’t anything against the might of the Diamonds and Homeworld. In fact, their technology of rendering their enemies immobile with a shock was how they redesigned their holding cells; it would later be used for their gem destabilizers.

But it was telling that Rose Quartz and her rebels were reacting to a species that was inferior than even their most primitive of conquests. It was strange. Snowflake decided to speak with the jaspers who had been in pursuit of the rebel quartz, to find out if she said anything to them. Many of them, like the agate in charge, didn’t take much stock in what the rebels were telling them; they were loyal to their Diamonds and that loyalty didn’t have room to try and dissect the words of a dissident.

The next stop was to the site of a large communication hub, which was still being constructed. Apparently, the agate that had been supervising the build had mysteriously disappeared and no one knew of her whereabouts. Oh, there were rumors of course, thanks to the chattiness of amethysts and rubies – she had joined the rebels or the rebels had stolen her away because of her position and thus her knowledge of inner gem secrets.

In speaking with those same amethysts and rubies, Snowflake had a better understanding of this ‘rebel propaganda’ that was being said. It was usually done by the rebel leader, Rose Quartz, but she seemed to have trained her minions to repeat her teachings. The renegade and fusion were both known to spout the words of their mistress, echoing the same following they used to have for their Diamonds. Still, the whole thing was very odd.

 

* * *

 

It was Snowflake’s second day on the Earth colony and it seemed to bring about good fortune and luck.

The previous day had seen the obsidian get her bearings on the planet; the warp pad travel technology was extremely helpful in transporting her to the destinations she needed. Granted, she needed someone who had been at the area to go with her, but thankfully they were quick trips and her escort would always head back to their previous area.

After she had made her rounds at the communication hub, a yellow amber had been ecstatic to show her the finalized galaxy warp located within a deep liquid well in the northern part of the planet. To say she had been awed by the structure was an understatement – built from the strongest material afforded to gem kind, the galaxy warp was a massive hub of one large pad centered in the middle of fifteen smaller ones. Four large pillars flanked it, while the hub itself also had a few smaller pillars to compliment the others.

The amber showed her around the platform, explaining how the warp pads were connected and how the technology worked. While fascinating in hindsight, Snowflake wasn’t really there to observe, but to find answers to her questions. “It’s truly impressive,” she interrupted, before the amber could go any further. “I can’t help but wonder if the rebels know about this or if they would ever attack it.”

“Stars, I hope not!” the amber balked. “That would completely ruin our entire transport or worse, send us back to the dark ages where we had to travel by ship. How horrid!”

“Agreed,” the obsidian nodded. “I’m hoping it doesn’t come to that and the whole reason why I’m here. Tell me, as an amber – who truly knows what tends to go on at this colony – can you give me any idea of where these rebels might strike next? Or what possible motive they would have to attack us like this?”

The amber huffed, her yellow eyes flaring at the very mention of the rebels. “It’s a disgrace, I tell you,” she spat. “Never in my years of serving my glorious Diamond have I ever seen such willful disregard for our empire like this. I can tell you that, while I don’t know when or where they’ll strike, they _will_ be caught and tried for this treachery.”

“Absolutely.”

“Though…”

The amber halted her thoughts, her face skewing into a thoughtful trance. Looking around, despite the fact that they were – for the moment – the only people on the galaxy warp platform, the yellow gem leaned in closer. “I’m not one to gossip,” she began.

“Of course.”

“But…there has been some talk that there may be some spies working in their network.”

“You mean within the courts themselves?” Snowflake asked, getting a nod in return.

“I don’t know if you’ve heard,” Amber continued. “But the rebels seem to know exactly when new installations are going up or being worked on. We’re on a fairly large planet, so how are they able to know when new structures are being developed? And this isn’t something that just started to happen; it’s been like this since that traitorous quartz went rogue.”

That…was something Snowflake hadn’t truly consider. She had figured that the rebels were just keeping an eye on the inner workings of the planet and due to their gem heritage, were equally able to use the warp pads to travel to the destinations they wanted to be in. But Amber made a good point, one that made sense, and actually deepened the mystery and the concern. If what this gem was saying was true, the rebels were getting inside information.

Which meant the rebellion could be much larger than truly anticipated.

Snowflake took the warp pad alone, heading back to the prime kindergarten to try and regroup. It had become her base of operations, if you could call it that, and it did put her in the center of a popular area. There was a lot to consider in such a short time – the rebels seemed to actively be recruiting for their cause, were determined to stop the colonization process, and there may be leaks within their empire.

That last fact was disturbing on so many levels.

It would be one thing with this rag tag bunch of gems, but an entire inner network within their empire? How many gems in each court were behind this act of defiance? How many gems were working together with Rose and her unruly band of misfits? The conclusion was too horrible to even consider and yet, the markings seemed to be there. While she had hoped to learn from observation, it seemed as though the only way to truly understand was to infiltrate the group.

And it seemed like her plans would come to fruition.

The prime kindergarten was situated in a large canyon that extended for miles, just a large landscape with a host of resources that would be lost if they gave the rebels any further ground. The canyon was quiet, save for the work in the distance, as more and more injectors were being placed; for Snowflake, it was a lovely sight. How could one not enjoy the beginnings of the expansion of their gempire? Gems were being grown and they would go on to be of use to their society.

So why were some of them rebelling?

Her mind couldn’t help but drift to the gem she used to know. Would Lian have joined the rebels? Would she have been so easily swayed by the inferiority of the species here, of the supposed beauty that the rebels kept harping on? Unfortunately, Snowflake was afraid of the answer because the answer may have been yes; Lian was such a joyful gem and motivated in everything she did, so full of energy. She always tried to protect her.

And Snowflake couldn’t do the same.

_White Carnelians were rare, even amongst White Diamond’s court. Carnelians and Quartzes were members of White’s elite guard, trained to spot anything out of the ordinary and like most members, they were able to shield their minds from any influence, any tricks that would cause one to betray their Diamond._

_Snowflake met her on assignment, a trip to Silas 23, one of White’s newest colonies. As all Diamonds, White made a point to visit each of her colonies as much as she could; it was a sign of leadership to show gems their Diamond cared for them and the work they did was in the service for their Diamond, for their society. Whenever a Diamond made an appearance outside of their preferred colony, they always carried with them the majority of their court; after the incident with Pink Diamond and the attack on the court of Blue Diamond, the majority of the court was now filled an excess of guards._

_As the head matriarch, White Diamond didn’t want to waste her own guards, so she always borrowed a number of Yellow’s elite guards; these gems could easily be replaced and reproduced._

_Among the large amounts of jaspers and amethysts, – White never used rubies, finding them too incompetent and infantile to begin with, however after the incident on the Cloud Arena, she never even considered them again – was Carnelian, dressed differently than the other members of White’s court. Those distinct white gems tended to wear black, while those colored gems – like Snowflake – were dressed in white, to ensure there was no confusion as their place within gem society._

_Their acquaintance with each other started as just simple conversation as they stood at the welcoming party, something about the particular dance of the pearls who were entertaining them. Carnelian enjoyed these types of parties, mostly because of the entertainment involved. It was a civil conversation, something most elite gems did on a regular basis, nothing out of the ordinary._

_Then the two were paired together on an assignment from their Diamond. Carnelian had been excited about it, smiling when she realized which snowflake she would dealing with. The assignment had taken longer than expected, nearly three cycles, but it had been too late for the two of them – their time together hadn’t ended with the assignment. Snowflake knew from the moment their association with each other had gone past professional to, well, personal that this was wrong, completely wrong._

_But despite being an intellectual, an elite mind within gem society, the obsidian couldn’t seem to help or stop herself._

_Carnelian was a very pleasant gem, motivated in her duties, active in her duties, and was the smartest gem Snowflake had ever and probably would ever know. She always had a way of making her laugh, calling her ‘Dee’ in their time together. It would take centuries before the obsidian truly understood what she had with the white gem and what their time together had meant for her…_

_Snowflake only known about the matter because she happened to pass by some gossiping rubies on Homeworld. They were discussing how someone had been dragged before the Diamonds and how it was probably likely the gem was shattered. The obsidian wouldn’t have even given it a second thought if not for hearing the tidbit that the gem in question was a carnelian._

_A white carnelian._

_It was completely disrespectful, something she would realize much later, to just barge into a Diamond’s chamber the way she did, but she had to know, had to see for herself if the gem in questions – the carnelian in question – was the one she knew._

_“My Diamond…”_

_It was true, horribly true._

_Carnelian stood, flanked by two jasper guards, before both Yellow and White Diamond. Off to the side stood a spinal, another member of White’s court, a rather smug look on her face. “How dare you barge in here?” growled White._

_“M-my Diamond,” Snowflake stumbled. “I’m sorry for the intrusion, but I must know – what is it this gem has done?”_

_“That is none of your business,” Yellow hissed. “How are you interfere in matters that don’t concern you.”_

_“My Diamond,” Carnelian pleaded. “My illustrious Diamond, please! Whatever I’ve done or whatever you think I’ve done…”_

_“Don’t pretend as though you don’t know,” spinal murmured. “I saw you with my very eyes. You were speaking to a rebel sympathizer. Don’t deny it.”_

_“Of course I deny it!” the gem cried. “I was only having a conversation…”_

_“About the rebels,” Spinal interrupted. “I heard it.”_

_“This action is intolerable,” stated White Diamond. “Have you forgotten your purpose? Better yet, have you forgotten your duties to me? To your empire?”_

_“Please, my Diamond,” Snowflake pleaded. “Whatever it is you think may have happened, I’m sure that it wasn’t her fault. This must be a simple misunderstanding.”_

_“Perhaps the two of you are in league together,” Yellow Diamond sneered. “As though we don’t have enough problems on that backwater planet, it seems to have infected our very society.”_

_“My Diamond,” replied the spinel, bowing slightly. “I was there, and I can testify that this carnelian was acting very suspiciously. She was speaking in low tones to a known rebel sympathizer and I have reason to believe she may have been in contact with the rebels.”_

_“That’s a lie!” Carnelian shouted._

_“I will not tolerate descent and betrayal in my court,” White stressed, motioning towards the guards to hold her._

_“Stop!”_

_“My Diamond, please!” Snowflake pleaded. “There must be some mistake! Li…Carnelian would never do something like this. She is a loyal gem of this court and this Diamond!”_

Snowflake shook her head, vanishing those thoughts away. Too long had she been plagued by the memory of…it was distracting and had no bearing on her life now. She had other things to worry about now, more important things, like the rebels and restoring the status quo the way it had been before all of this. Turning, she went back the way she came, this time at a quicker pace than she had when she started.

As she neared back towards the injector site, she could hear the sounds of battle and her steps fostered into a run, until she had run smack into a battle between guards and the rebels known as the Crystal Gems. Snowflake tried to see if the leader was among them, but so far, it was just the abomination, their bismuth, and what Snowflake had to guess was the missing agate she had heard about.

But even without their leader to guide them, the three seemed pretty capable of spouting her rhetoric.

Obsidians, though bred for intellectual pursuits, were also adept at combat - most gems were except for the very high class of gems, your sapphires, your iolites, your kyanites – but instead of giving aid to the jaspers, amethysts, and rubies who were already fighting off the rebels, Snowflake instead decided to watch and observe.

If she was lucky, one of them would be captured and she would be able to interrogate them for her purpose; if she was unlucky, she would need to follow them back to their base and hope she could learn more about them in their habitat.

Of course she was hoping for the former, but watching the skills of the trio showed that her only option was the latter. And the rebels were indeed skilled – the abomination was just as formidable as any fusion and apparently, twice as deadly. It was fast, faster than any gem she had ever seen, and it seemed to know when an attack was coming before it did.

Bismuths were known for their strength, hence why they were primarily used for hard labor and construction, and in many cases, they were able to shapeshift their hands into various tools, like hammers or shovels. This bismuth was using her skills not for building, but for attacking her fellow gems. The agate, the one that had been reported to her as missing, seemed rather reluctant to actively attack and spent more time trying to talk to her opponents than actually fight them.

That seemed to tie in with what the black gem had been told earlier, how these Crystal Gems were doing everything to convince gems to join their cause. And it certainly appeared as though the group had something going for them – with only three gems, they managed to hold their own against several groups of gems, poofing at least half before their job was done.

Once again, the kindergarten’s activity had been disrupted and the rebels had left a string of gems laying on the dirty ground before they left.

And the obsidian was right on their tail.

 

* * *

 

The rebels were fast, faster than Snowflake thought they would be, especially on terrain unfamiliar to their species. She had lost sight of them twice already, in an area that hadn’t been utilized by Homeworld forces yet, that was sure. But the black gem was sure that the rebels were familiar with it, because how else could she have lost them in such a short time?

The rock and dirt of the prime kindergarten gave way to a little more color, though the landscape was still full of rocks and dirt as far as Snowflake was concerned, the only difference was the fact that the rocks began to be replaced with bushes of stick and green things with points at the end. Surprisingly, there were more caverns and caves the further she went, reminding the obsidian of smaller exit holes. Had they been here before? Or were they expanding?

A closer look revealed that there were no injectors, these caverns were made on this planet. Could those strange two-legged creatures be responsible? Snowflake shook her head mirth. Of course not, the creatures here were primitives; they could barely speak if what she heard was true. There was no way they had the intelligence to construct anything.

Stopping to observe her surroundings, the obsidian moved towards one the holes in the cavern. It was slightly smaller than her own height and from peering inside, it was clear this wasn’t anything made by Homeworld. Most trained kindergartners took pride and efficiency in the creation of a kindergarten and this exit hole was extremely sloppy – jagged edges marred the opening and it was far bigger than what was the gem standard.

Could the planet’s inhabitants be created the same way gems were?

Again, Snowflake scoffed. She had yet to see these creatures, but in all of her long years she had never met any species that matched the gem empire.

It wasn’t the movement that caught the gem’s attention, but the feeling that she wasn’t alone. Turning quickly, she was able to move a fraction before the axe would’ve hit her and instead, embedded itself into the rock face behind her. In front of her stood the agate from earlier, along with a taller jasper soldier, spoke to her first. “I think you’re a little lost.”

The darker gem didn’t need introductions, she instinctively knew the two were members of the rebels, even she hadn’t seen the agate earlier. Holding her hands out in a calming motion, she replied, “I have come to speak with the rebel leader Rose Quartz. I have no wish to fight you unless you try to fight me.”

“You want to talk to Rose Quartz?” the jasper chuckled. Giving her companion a glance, she joked, “Sure! But you’ll have to get through the two of us first and then you’ll have to spoke to Bismuth.”

“I’m sure Garnet will want to have a word,” the agate said.

“And Pearl,” the jasper laughed. “And if you manage all that, yeah, I’m sure Rose will want to speak to you.”

“Very well,” Snowflake sighed. “If you want to know my true intentions, I am here to offer an accord, on behalf of the Diamond Authority. However, I am only authorized to speak on the matter to Rose Quartz herself.”

“An accord?” the agate questioned, turning to the companion to her left.

The obsidian nodded. “My Diamond instructed me to speak to the rebel leader,” she repeated. “To see if we can put these hostilities aside and reach a common ground as gems. But the only way to achieve that is by letting me see your leader.”

Snowflake watched as the two looked at each other before turning slightly to discuss something amongst themselves. She couldn’t hear the words, but she knew their talk about her and whether they should trust her or not. Finally, after a few moments of words and glances towards her, the two seemed to come to a decision. “Okay,” the jasper replied, smiling. “We’ll take you to Rose.”

“But we have to make sure you aren’t going to be a problem,” said the agate.

“Problem?” Snowflake asked, just as the cord of a whip wrapped around her, pinning her arms to her side. Her eyes widened as she saw the jasper remove another axe from their gem and fling it towards her. The black gem only a second to wonder if this had been a good idea before her form dissipated and she was shoved roughly into her gem.

 

* * *

 

The reformation process was different for every gem type, depending on your service to Homeworld and your Diamond. Soldier classes took less time, usually because they were always needed on the battlefield, while high class gems could take much longer to ensure they weren’t rushing their form and design.

Snowflake could count the number of times she had been poofed on her hand and the total, including this, was three, far smaller than the average ruby, but greater than her Diamond’s sapphires put together. While she never rushed her reformation the previous two times, this time the black gem felt the need to hurry back, to see if she had been taken before Rose Quartz or if her minions had just left her on the side of the ground.

She didn’t change anything, keeping the same form she had before she was poofed, and found that her regeneration was much faster than she thought possible. Her gem rose in the air as she took form, solidifying herself and dropping to her feet on the ground. Opening her eyes, she saw that was in a completely different area than before – instead of rocky canyons, she was in a lush greenery, surrounded by huge stalks of large, thick brown sticks that grew upwards from the ground.

It must’ve taken her longer to reform than she realized because the sky, which had been a bright blue, had darkened somewhat and the huge ball of light that hung high was now at half mast.

“Welcome back.”

The greeting came from the bismuth. She was sitting on a seat of some sort that had been laid out on the ground and was joined by the very agate that helped to poof her; from their manner, they apparently had been waiting for her to reform for some time. Snowflake pointed at the agate. “You poofed me.”

“Technically, I only held you still,” the gem replied. “Biggs is the one that poofed you.”

“What is this place?” Snowflake asked. “Your base? I demand to speak with your leader…”

“Hold up there, light bright,” the bismuth stated, standing from her seat and walking up to the obsidian. “You’re not really in any position to be _demanding_ anything while you’re here.”

“On the account that we do outnumber you,” the agate added, helpfully.

Looking around, Snowflake noted that even if she could escape, she wouldn’t know which way to turn or run. “Then I’m a prisoner?”

“On the contrary,” replied a voice. “I’d like to think that you’re a very special guest.”

From the left came the very leader she had been sent to speak to. Snowflake had actually never seen any rose quartz gems, so she was startled at just how tall and rather imposing form of the quartz soldier. And she wasn’t alone – surrounding her were the fusion and jasper she had seen earlier, plus a face she hadn’t thought she would ever see again. Certainly not on the side of the rebels.

“Rose Quartz?” the obsidian asked, which garnered the gem to nod, a small smile on her face. “On behalf of the Diamond Authority, I am hereby authorized to offer you an accord to end the conflict between us. Surely we can come to some sort of compromise.”

“You’ll forgive me,” the rebel leader replied. “But the last time I was told that a Diamond wanted to talk…well, things did not end the way I had hoped they would.”

“So you admit it then?” Snowflake asked. “You admit that you shattered the former matriarch, Pink Diamond?”

The thin gem at her side gave a small sneak and while the quartz’s face paled slightly, the smile did not leave her face. “I would rather not discuss that, if you don’t mind,” came the answer.

“Obsidians aren’t normally sent to do diplomatic work,” the fusion noted.

“This is a special case,” Snowflake said. “As stated, my Diamond wants to see the end of this…coupe you’ve begun and as such, sent me to try and broker peace with you.”

“You said that the Diamonds want to end the conflict. They know exactly what needs to be done in order to do that.”

“I’m afraid they don’t,” the black gem stated. “And I must confess I also do not see nor understand any of the actions you’ve all taken since being on this planet. Surely you realize that your actions have pushed back gem production by who knows how many cycles, not to mention that you’ve disrupted construction for many new structures.”

“Even now…”

The quartz sighed, sadly before shaking her head. “After all this time, they still…” Once again, the quartz trailed off on her sentence, though this time she seemed to perk up. “Alright,” she said. “You want to know and understand our actions, I’ll show you.”

The group looked to their leader in confusion.

“I hope you’re not suggesting what I think you’re suggesting,” the pearl hissed.

“Rose, that’s…not at all a good idea,” the jasper added.

“Garnet?”

Snowflake watched the exchange, wondering what the rebels could possibly have in mind. Soon, the leader turned to the fusion, asking her input on the matter. This was a moment that truly interested the obsidian – the vaulted rebel leader was deferring judgement and decision to, well…an abomination, something that would’ve have been destroyed if they were still on Homeworld. Was this what the quartz wanted to show her?

That the fusion had value?

Clearly it did because it answered the unasked question. “It’s not a bad idea,” it replied. “Though I really would advise that you don’t go alone.”

“I’ll be fine,” the quartz said, smiling. Turning back to the obsidian, the rebel raised a slight eyebrow, the smile never dropping from her face. “Are you up to it? I know you just reformed; apologies by the way. It wasn’t that I wanted you poofed -” Here, the quartz looked at the jasper. “However, I also didn’t want you knowing where we were.”

“You didn’t want me to know where you base was,” Snowflake concluded.

“Oh, this isn’t our base,” Rose said. “It’s just a place we like to spend time in.”

“You don’t discuss military strategies here?” the black gem questioned. “Or any plans to retaliate against the gems here or the word of the Diamonds?”

The group looked at her and their expressions varied from suspicious to hostile and nothing in between. For good reason, they didn’t trust her; she was essentially a spy in their midst and asking questions they knew she would report back to the Diamonds.

“You have questions, we have those answers,” the leader replied. “Do you want them or not?”

Snowflake had thought she had the rebels pegged – sympathizers for the pathetic lifeforms on the planet, who happened to just know the area better than those who were here to transform it. However, in this moment, the obsidian saw something that started up her worries once more – these rebels may be siding with the inferiors, but they had some tactics behind them. And they knew exactly _why_ she was there.

She nodded, watching as the quartz turned and started to head off, before looking at her expectedly. Snowflake followed closely, though she did throw a look behind her and wasn’t surprised to see that all eyes were on the two of them as they headed away. The trip seemed to take them further and further into this foliage, which put Snowflake on alert; Rose Quartz could easily be taking her this deep in order to get rid of her.

The reverse also came to mind – the obsidian could easily dispose of this problem. However, unlike the ability to make her disappear, Snowflake didn’t count her chances as high enough to escape any incident. Even if she could capture the rebel leader, she couldn’t guarantee she’d be able to find her way out of this area and to the nearest warp pad and she certainly didn’t think her chances of avoiding the other rebels would work out.

For her.

The scenery only got greener and greener the deeper they went, making Snowflake feel as if the entire planet was closing in around her. This was a mistake, going off with the rebel leader like this. This was the gem who shattered Pink Diamond, who had instigated a rebellion under her very nose, who deigned to thumb that very nose at the Diamonds and Homeworld as a whole, and who was gathering forces to do who knew what next.

About the time the obsidian was convinced that the rebel leader had been leading her to a harvest mill, the strange foliage finally gave way to a small clearing, though the quartz was quick to halt any further steps past the threshold. Before them was a small community of two-legged creatures, the first the current Homeworld gem had ever seen since being on the planet. As previously observed, they weren’t much to look at.

They seemed to all be the same color, nothing distinctive to separate who they were, other than height differences and hair length it seemed. Their appearance modifiers left nothing to the imagination, barely enough to cover their forms and their speech seemed stunted, even as a few of them waved to the two gems that stood looking at them.

Even their community was small – what Snowflake figured were the equivalent of kindergartens were spaced so widely apart, she wasn’t surprised they were so misshapen; whoever was in charge of their kindergartens was horrible at their job.

“They call themselves the Lenni,” Rose replied. “They’re just one of the tribes that live here on Earth. There’s scopes of them all over the planet, though I’ve only managed to meet a small fraction.”

“They’re inferiors,” Snowflake responded. “Look at them. Even their appearance modifiers are…” She gestured at the group.

“You’re only seeing what the Diamonds and Homeworld would want you to see,” the quartz said, sending her a look. “These Lenni have been here for almost as long as gems have been trying to colonize the planet. Not the same ones, mind, because two-legs are mortal, but there are Lenni here who are descendants of Lenni that I actually knew! Isn’t that fascinating?”

Snowflake just looked at her. “No.”

The quartz actually huffed, before pointing outwards on the landscape. The black gem followed the pale pink hand, taking in the strange colors and other things that hung off the stalks from the ground; there were several large four-legged creatures that were roaming around, as well as smaller four-legged ones that just ran around.

“They’ve trained those animals to help them in their fields,” Rose explained. “They also use them for their nutrients.”

The obsidian’s face scrunched in disgust. “Are you saying those primitives…process those things for nutrition!?”

Rose smirked. “They need sustenance in order to survive,” the rebel leader said. “But as primitives, they’ve managed to use what was offered to them in order to make their village here.”

“This hardly gives reasons as to why you’re forsaking your own kind for…them.”

“Look at them,” Rose whispered. “What do you see?”

“What do I see?” Snowflake huffed. “I see a bunch of inferior lifeforms, laying waste to perfectly good resources that could be used to further our empire. And I see a quartz who has forsaken her duties to her species and to her Diamond, who has led a wayward group of defective gems against us, and who is doing her utmost best to halt the production and growth of our empire and society.”

The two gems stared down one another and Snowflake was sure that the quartz would break and either lead her back to the group as a spy or rid the rebellion of a potential threat. Instead, Rose just raised an eyebrow at the darker gem. “Would you like to know what I see?” she asked.

“Enlighten me.”

Rose turned to watch the two-legs go about their business. The smaller ones were running around, unsupervised, while the taller ones seemed to just mill about. “I see creatures who had beholden by predestined rules,” she said. “These creatures don’t come with a purpose, instead they make their _own_ purposes. That’s Du-cho; he’s a helper to their healer, Isot. He did not come with any instructions to do so, he just decided to help.

“They don’t have the same level of technology we do, but they’re able to use what they have to create what they need. They don’t have Diamonds to answer to and when they do have leaders, they are fair and take all suggestions and arguments into consideration. They try new things because they can, they love who they want, they do what makes them happy…

“You want to know why I’m trying to protect this planet?” Rose asked. “Because their freedom here – freedom to be what you want, freedom to do what you want, and freedom to love who you want. Freedom the Diamonds would never allow.”

Snowflake continued to stare at the quartz. It was ridiculous! Rule and order is what kept gems in line and the rebels proved what happened when that order was disrupted; one word – chaos. “Freedom,” the obsidian repeated. “Freedom to fuse with gems not of your type? Freedom to disregard your purpose? Freedom to shatter your leaders, perhaps? I think you rebels have shown what happens when freedom is so freely given.”

Rose lowered her head, before shaking it. “What do you want, honestly?”

“I meant what I said,” Snowflake replied. “I am here on the behest of my Diamond and the others in the authority. We want to know why, Rose; why you’re protecting these creatures, why you’re harboring two fugitives, why you’re trying to actively recruit, and why you are standing against the Diamonds.”

“I could sit and tell you all the stories about why this planet to be saved,” Rose said. “But I think you need to see it in order to understand. I don’t suppose you have a time limit to report back?”

“Time is infinite for gems, you know this,” responded the obsidian. “I am to take as long as I can in order to end this, though I’m sure the quicker I discover your fascination with these creatures, the better.”

Rose nodded. “Then you won’t be opposed to personal observation?”

“Of course not.”

Again, the rebel leader nodded before turning and heading back the way they had come, hoping that the obsidian would follow in her wake. There was a point where Snowflake wondered if she should be escaping, taking what she knew back to her Diamond, but a voice inside her mind stopped her. It sounded vaguely familiar, almost as if it was…shaking her head, Snowflake instead followed the quartz back to her base camp.

She was resolved – she hadn’t learned enough yet. Being shown the community of inferior lifeforms did nothing to change the obsidian’s view on them or why these six gems were throwing their lives away for creatures that would no doubt be exterminated once the colony was further established. But she had promised her Diamond and that of Blue Diamond to find answers and if observing the rebels was the way to do that, then she would.

Entering their base camp, Snowflake watched as the others tried – unsuccessfully – to look as though they hadn’t been eagerly awaiting their return. Rose must’ve noticed this immediately because she gave the jasper a look. “I take it everything is fine?” she asked.

Everyone nodded. “Nothing to worry about,” the jasper replied.

It was clear the quartz didn’t believe her, but she let it go. Snowflake did take note that the taller fusion had seemingly disappeared and two smaller gems had taken her place. What had drawn her eye however was the pearl, who seemed to be signaling subtlety that she wanted to speak with her, perhaps not now, but certainly at some point.

The rebel leader quickly explained that Snowflake would be observing them and their cause, something that didn’t sit well with the others. Oddly enough, it was the pearl and the ruby who were the most vocal about her stay, noting that the obsidian was just going to give them away or turn them in, but the rebel leader wouldn’t hear any of it, insisting that Snowflake was the perfect chance for them to explain and show Homeworld and the Diamonds why the planet was special and should continue without gem intervention. The matter was apparently settled, though it was clear that none of the other rebels were settled with her in the group.

As an obsidian, Snowflake knew when to stay out of the way and observe, which was exactly what she did. The rebels were obviously conducting a new raid on a location, but where and what they would be doing, the black gem didn’t know; she couldn’t hear any of the conversation – by design, she was sure – so any valuable information she could have to stop the rebels wasn’t forthcoming. After observing their meeting, the obsidian wasn’t surprised when the pearl approached her, asking her to follow.

Snowflake did as told, though she did chance a look at the others as they went. The ruby and the bismuth had their eyes on them, despite the sapphire trying to calm the former; she couldn’t verify it but Snowflake was sure the sapphire was giving her the same look, only it was hidden behind the hair that hung over the upper portion of her face.

The pearl didn’t lead her far, just a few yards from the encampment, and keeping within sight of the group and their leader. “Rose would you to accompany us later,” the thin gem stated. “She doesn’t want you involved, just observing.”

“You want me to stand by as you destroy another gem structure and poof the workers there?” the obsidian asked, folding her arms across her chest. “You know that I can’t do that and not intervene.”

“Your only option then would be to stay here,” the pearl smirked. “And I’m sure Ruby and Bismuth would very much like it if you chose that path.”

Snowflake threw a look over her shoulder to the group behind them. Sure enough, her eyes met those of the ruby, who seemed to be keeping the two in her eye line at all times. Turning back to the pearl, she nodded. “I think it might be better if I accompanied you and Rose Quartz.”

“That’s probably a good idea.”

The two looked at each other for a time before Snowflake said what had been on her mind. “I didn’t think it was true,” she murmured. “But here you are.”

“Here I am.”

“Are the others aware of who you truly are?”

The pearl shook her head. “Just Rose,” she replied. “Though I have a pretty good idea that Garnet might know, but she hasn’t asked yet.”

“Garnet?” Snowflake asked, before realization overtook her. “You mean the fusion. Of the ruby and sapphire from Blue Diamond’s court, correct?”

“That’s right,” said the pearl. “Though you might want to speak to her before you start coming up with ‘ideas’.”

“If by ideas, you mean trying to comprehend why a highly regarded sapphire would be working with rebel gems or why White Diamond’s pearl seems to be one of the high-ranking members of the group…”

“Stop,” the renegade hissed, taking a step towards her. “Why are you here?”

“Why are _you_?” Snowflake shot back. “Your Diamond gave you everything and this is how you repay her, how you repay the empire. This is _treason_. And for what? A few…mushy organics who barely have the intelligence to speak in full sentences?”

The pearl looked away for a moment and Snowflake could almost see the turmoil that went through her. Perhaps her insight was correct and the pearl was there only because the rebel leader had coerced her into this life; perhaps the group wasn’t as aligned as they gave off.

“Sometimes I wonder what Rose sees in these beings,” the renegade whispered. “But there is something about this planet, something special that, even if I don’t completely understand, I’m not blind to it. There is beauty here, even in the simplest form.”

“It’s illogical,” Snowflake spat. “And you know it. This rebellion has no purpose, no direction, and Rose Quartz has somehow influenced you all into turning your back on your own species. I can understand how you could be easily swayed, but do remember that you don’t belong to her; you belong to…”

“No one.”

“Excuse me?”

The word had been literally growled by the former servant, taking the obsidian by surprise with the venom in her voice.

“I belong to _nobody_ ,” the pearl reiterated. “I may not understand Rose’s fascination with the creatures on it, but I do understand their motivations. The creatures here make their _own_ purposes, they chose to grow and learn, and that’s exactly what I’ve done. Since being here, I’ve learned so much, things that I never would’ve been allowed to learn if I was still on Homeworld.

“That’s why this planet is so special and should be defended.”

To her credit, Snowflake’s facial expression didn’t change at the passionate statement, but inwardly, she was shocked. Was this Rose Quartz’s power? The way the pearl spoke, unsure of the reasons for being there, but still passionate about the purpose to do so was chilling; the rebel leader’s clutches were dug deep, though that wasn’t surprising given the inherent purpose of a pearl in general. It was quite sad, to be honest; this pearl was so entrenched by the words of the rogue quartz that she couldn’t see how futile this endeavor was.

It would take work, but perhaps she could still save the pearl and the others from further corruption. She had been offered to go with them to a new location, that might be the perfect time to strike, aiding in the capture of Rose Quartz and saving the pearl in the process. It was a lofty goal and one she thought could work, but to come all this way to save one pearl seemed pointless.

She would need to save the others as well.

“I believe I’ll stay here,” the obsidian stated. “Prove my statements of observation to your group. Besides, I don’t believe I’d be much help to you as you dismantle this future colony.”

The pearl gave her a look, as though she didn’t believe a word Snowflake was saying, which given their roles, wasn’t too hard to understand. “Fair enough,” she said, eventually. She began to head back to the group. “Come along,” she said. “We may as well introduce you to the others properly.”

Snowflake didn’t feel that was necessary, but followed anyway. Knowing what these rebels were calling themselves here would not change anything when they were back on Homeworld; she would just need to file away their designations in order to file her report.

 

* * *

 

Being an observer to the gem rebels was a strange assignment, to say the least.

Their interactions with each other was unlike anything that was found on Homeworld and in some cases, wouldn’t have been allowed to commence. Snowflake tried to stay out of the group’s way, but they always seemed to want her to join in activities; she always refused because she now understood their purpose for it.

They were trying to convert her, she just knew it.

It had been a few days since her conversation with the renegade pearl, confirming her suspicions of her former place on Homeworld. Since then, the obsidian had been watching the group closely, trying to see if it was possible for her to save one or more of these gems. When she started this assignment, she had been confused by their actions, confused as to why they were doing what they were doing.

Now however, she understood. Rose Quartz had mind controlled the others; it was the only reasonable explanation that made sense, which meant that some, if not all, of these gems could be saved and reestablish them into gem society. She couldn’t just change their viewpoints in quick succession, she needed to see which ones were on the verge of changing, who may have joined for silly reasons and then realized they were wrong.

The bismuth was not on that list. Despite being somewhat friendly to her, there was an underlining hostility that always showed through; even if another bismuth would be welcomed, the obsidian didn’t believe this bismuth wanted to return to Homeworld.

The one being she focused on was that of the fusion. Surely the sapphire, as part of the illuminous Homeworld elite, could see the futility of this whole exercise and to be honest, Snowflake was sure the seer wasn’t doing this on her own free will. There had been rumors, still were, on the nature of the cross-fusion, the horrible abomination that had joined the rebels and was preaching the joys of fusion and the Earth.

It seemed she would get her chance when a number of the others went out, leaving her with the fusion and the jasper, who is obviously there to make sure Snowflake doesn’t make any unseen moves on the fusion or maybe to keep the fusion from attacking her. For the few days that the obsidian had been in the encampment, she noted that the fusion switched out her appearance for those of the gems that made her up.

Snowflake couldn’t help her interest – there had never been a cross-fusion before on Homeworld and if there had or was, those involved would’ve been detained and shattered at worst, reprogrammed or harvested at best. Cross-fusions were dangerous, more so than normal fusions – while most gems had the same mindset of serving their Diamond and completing their purpose, there were biases, of course. These differences could not be tolerated, least gems start forming their own ideas that were counter to that of Homeworld.

The fusion called Garnet was the direct affront to the values and fundamental etiquette of the gempire.

But the fusion also offered up a prime chance to see how cross-fusion worked. So when the fusion sat down with her, the opportunity to study her was too good to pass up. “Biggs is checking the perimeter,” it said, giving Snowflake a nod of greeting. “I figured it was as good of a time as any for you to speak with me.”

“How did you know I wanted to speak with you?” the darker gem asked.

The fusion lowered its visor, revealing three eyes, with one slim eyebrow raised over the left.

Nodding in acknowledgement, the obsidian replied, “Of course. Her grand clarity.”

“Just Sapphire, is fine,” the fusion replied. “Actually, it’s preferred.”

“I’m not sure I can or would want to do that,” Snowflake admitted. “At least not while you’re unfused. Propriety, you know.”

“We are no longer on Homeworld or under the gaze of the Diamonds.”

“So you rebels tell me,” the obsidian huffed. “Perhaps you don’t truly understand, but I can’t imagine you are completely unaware thanks to your components.”

“Ask your question, Snowflake.”

“Do I really need to?” the gem countered. Getting no response, she continued undaunted. “Why are you still fused? This isn’t meant to insult, merely an observation. Your usefulness to Rose Quartz is obvious – I’ve seen you in battle and I know you’re a strong opponent; couple that with your sapphire’s precognition, you’re a worthy ally in this unnecessary conflict. However, here, in this space, there is no need for this.

Leaning closer to the fusion, she whispered, “I speak not to you, but to Your Grand Clarity. If this is a situation against your will, I’m more than prepared to help your escape; I can’t imagine what it must be like being fused with a ruby.”

“I’d watch what you say about my Ruby.”

“I was under the impression she was just a guard.”

“That impression is clearly wrong.”

“So it’s a personal connection, then?” Snowflake asked. “You’re…attached to this ruby. I guess that makes sense and it’s not unheard of for elites to…”

“You are toeing a very thin line,” growled the fusion. “And nothing good ever comes from someone badmouthing Sapphire.”

“What was her name?”

“Excuse me!?” Snowflake sputtered, confused at the smooth and quick way the conversation had not only revealed the two individual components of the fusion, but had turned on her.

“You seem to have a deep, personal interest into our fusion,” the abomination replied. “Which means either you’re interested in fusion itself or…

“You’re interested in fusing with someone else,” it concluded.

Without her consent, Carnelian’s face flashed across her mind and she shook her head to make the image vanish. “I don’t believe this an appropriate conversation,” Snowflake replied, pushing down her anger. “Especially when this does nothing to further my observations.”

“You implied that that the only reason why I’m fused is because one of us has been coerced into doing so,” the fusion pointed out.

“Is it?”

“No.”

“Then why?” the obsidian insisted. “Why are you still fused? There’s no battle occurring, unless your precognition is telling you about a future event. There is no logical or plausible reason for you to remain fused, so why are you?”

“Because we want to.”

“But _why_?”

Garnet shrugged. “Because we like to,” she said. “They enjoy it and I enjoy being me.”

Snowflake looked incredulously at the being. Fusion wasn’t supposed to be enjoyed; it was supposed to serve a purpose, just like everything else on Homeworld. And once again, the obsidian found herself stymied by the lack of purpose or want of purpose these rebels had. It was disconcerting, to be honest, that these gems believed a life without purpose was a good thing, when it clearly wasn’t.

Unsanctioned fusions, ownerless pearls, bismuths going around building whatever they wanted…it wasn’t right. It did confirm a horror that Snowflake hoped wasn’t true –

These gems were beyond help or saving.

 

* * *

 

It had been ten cycles of the planet’s rotation and Snowflake was no closer to understanding the rebels’ motives as she had been when they first took her back to their base camp. Since that time, Snowflake had spoken to each of them, trying her level best to convert them back into loyal servants of the Diamonds, but to no avail. They stubbornly stuck to their beliefs in freedom and protection for a planet unworthy of it.

The worst part was that Snowflake was starting to fall under the influence of the rebel leader, Rose Quartz. The more time she spent here, the more memories she had of Carnelian, most against her will; all this talk about freedom truly upset her, making her wonder how her dear Lian would’ve felt about all this, only for her mind to conjure up the idea that in a different life, on a different path, they very well would’ve been enemies.

She was curious by nature and the rebels would have intrigued her as much as they did Snowflake, but Lian’s fascination would’ve gone further than just the rebels; it would’ve included the planet and the creatures. She would’ve been every bit the supportive gem for the group, wanting them to succeed in protecting this new species. And the more she thought it, the more Snowflake could see the truth in the vision.

And the more she was glad Carnelian wasn’t around to be a part of this. That she was happy that her…that Lian was shattered and gone.

And when she thought that, the wave of shame encased her like the cape of an emerald.

It was coming up to another darkness – night, is what Rose Quartz said the inferiors called it – and the group as a whole was gathered together in a clearing, looking up at the sky. After persistent calls for her to join, Snowflake reluctantly joined them, but placed herself at a distance against the giant brown stalk – a tree, she had been told – and leaned against it.

The rebels had been busy destroying things left and right, while she had been left behind in the company of at least one. She knew it was so she couldn’t follow them and reveal their hideout and honestly, she had been sure she could reverse the mindset of these rebels. But they were so entrenched in these ridiculous notions, so swayed by the word of a defective quartz that Snowflake would just have to turn them over to the Diamonds at the end of this.

The rebels had strange rituals, this being one, where they gathered around to watch the light of the sky turn to dark. It was called ‘taking a break’ something unheard of on Homeworld and a punishable offense; gems didn’t need to take a break and doing so met you were wasting time and disrespecting the Diamonds with your laziness.

Most of these rituals usually took place with the inferiors nearby – a number of the group would participate in the nutrition supplements of the inferiors, despite the fact that gems didn’t need to indulge in such frivolities. The pearl and crazy lace often refused such things, obviously their upbringing still within their forms somewhere; Snowflake also refused any offerings, even though Rose Quartz tried to insist that the ‘food stuffs’ were quite delicious.

Another ritual was their interactions with the small two-legged creatures, those who were dependent on the larger creatures. It was an inefficient system, having beings that were constantly asking questions and stumbling around without knowing what their purpose; for the rebels, this was a virtue, a unique ability that allowed choice. This ritual was also strange and made no sense – it was just those who participated running around an open field, sometimes chasing after a round object that could be kicked back and forth.

Snowflake didn’t understand. This was all pointless, useless activities that did nothing to further the progress of the inferiors here; why couldn’t anyone see it?

And she still didn’t understand the purpose of this…standing and looking at nothing in particular.

The whole group were sat or standing in the clearing, giving them a clear view of the sky and landscape below. The fusion had split into the ruby and the sapphire and Snowflake did have a fleeting thought about trying to speak to the seer alone, in hopes that outside of her fusion, she’d be a little more reasonable, however she nixed the idea almost immediately. The others, now knowing what her objectives were, would never let her close to the sapphire and certainly not alone.

It didn’t matter because her mind was already occupied with other things or rather, one thing.

She couldn’t help the way her eyes drifted towards the smaller gems. During their earlier talk, they had stated this fusion of theirs was personal, that they were clearly attached to each other. She had insulted them earlier, when she insinuated that the seer had been secretly involved with the ruby prior to their fusion, but further speaking with the others seemed to contradict that, that the two had only met when first arrived on the cloud arena.

Their relationship certainly seemed as those they were close and while she tried to concentrate on the true reasons of why those two were here, all it did was remind her of Carnelian. She had been a very bright spot in a standard life of an obsidian, a large happy factor that Snowflake hadn’t realized she had wanted. This whole assignment had brought back feelings she had hoped she had buried long ago.

The sky had begun to darken, as the bright ball in the sky began to drop down, painting the sky in different colors; it was actually quite beautiful and Snowflake couldn’t help but wistfully be reminded of the gem she once knew so well.

_“We shouldn’t be doing this,” she whispered. “We shouldn’t be here like this.”_

_“Should I go then?” Carnelian asked, though her actions went against her words. Her hand cupped Snowflake’s cheek, running a thumb slowly across._

_“No,” the obsidian sighed._

_“There’s an event happening for White’s court,” Lian said. “You should go to it.”_

_“I’m sure I’ll be invited.”_

_“If not, invite yourself.”_

_“Lian!” the obsidian giggled. “You know I can’t do that.”_

_“Why?” asked the carnelian._

_“It’s against…it’s propriety sake.”_

_“Oh right, right,” Lian nodded. “Because it’s completely out of the realm for a carnelian to be seen with an obsidian.”_

_“You know that’s technically true,” Snowflake pointed out._

_Lian stepped closer, closing the gap between them. “Strangely enough, I don’t seem to care.”_

_“You should,” Snowflake whispered, her voice quivering, though she wasn’t sure if it was because of the closeness or the very real possibility that they could be caught. “We have our roles…”_

_“Which brought us together,” Lian countered. “I like being around you, Dee, and sometimes, I just don’t care who knows it.”_

_“You should care,” the obsidian urged. “This is dangerous, for both of us. If anyone discovered…that’s not to mention that some of these ideas of yours…”_

_“What?”_

_“They sound like something those rebel hooligans on Earth are spouting.”_

_Carnelian reeled back, as though physically hit. “I wasn’t aware my feelings were so hurtful to you,” she whispered._

_“Lian, I…I didn’t…that’s not to say…”_

_“After all this time,” she continued. “Is this how you really feel? I was hoping that you were being playful, but now…maybe I was blinded by my own feelings.”_

_“Lian, please,” Snowflake stated. “I didn’t…of course I care about you.”_

_“Do you?” the white gem asked. “Because sometimes I get the impression you care more about your image and what our precious Diamond would think.”_

Lian would’ve enjoyed this – she would’ve enjoyed the aspects of inferior cuisine, of their useless activity of running around, of the rebels’ pointless attempts at trying to wrestle away control of the planet from Homeworld, of the beauty of the image before them.

She would’ve truly loved this.

“Who would?”

The question only pulled her partially from her memory, the one last she had before that horrible day before the Diamonds. “What?”

“You said, ‘she would’ve loved this’,” Rose repeated. “I was asking who you were talking about.”

It took a minute before Snowflake fully remembered where she was and that she had inadvertently said her thought aloud. All eyes had suddenly turned to her, curious and knowing in almost every one of them. “None of your concern,” she spat, turning away in embarrassment.

“See, I told you!” cried the jasper in triumph. “I told you she was hiding something and it probably involved someone she was attached to.”

“Too bad for you then, eh?” joked the sapphire, causing the others to laugh.

“Oh ha,” the jasper mocked. “Laugh all you want, princess, but I was right and now, I can talk about it forever and there’s nothing any of you can do about it.”

Snowflake bristled at the humor from her plight. She had exposed an inner weakness she had never wanted to show to anyone and here they were, laughing at that. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she muttered. “There was…I was merely talking about my Diamond.”

“Oh, were you now?” the jasper chuckled. “Yeah, that makes sense. I could see someone like you getting all hot and bothered over the Diamonds.”

“Biggs,” the rebel leader chastised. “Be nice.”

“Not that it really matters,” the agate piped up. “If she’s only mentioning this mysterious gem now, it’s obvious she’s only thought about her once anyway.”

“That’s not true!”

The outburst surprised her, as well as the others and she did her best to walk back the statement, though by then it was too late.

“Oh ho ho!” the bismuth laughed. “Well, now I _have_ to know. Just what dirty little secret are you hiding about the _illustrious_ Diamonds?”

“Please,” the jasper said, sending a look to the builder. “She’s not talking about the Diamonds at all, are you, Snowy?”

“Admit it,” the agate replied. “The whole reason you’re here to forget about someone back on Homeworld or you’re trying to find them here on Earth”

“I am here to do my Diamond’s bidding,” Snowflake hissed.

The group all chuckled or giggled at her expense, causing her anger to flare beneath her form. “Hey, come on,” the rebel leader chastised, though she was trying to hold in giggles of her own. “You’re making her uncomfortable.”

“I’m sure Snowflake isn’t uncomfortable erasing the memory of any gems she’s come across,” the agate joked. “That _is_ your job, isn’t it?”

Taking a step towards the group, the obsidian hissed, “My job and my duties are of no concern to you, just like any other personal detail I may have.”

The jasper sitting next to the agate laughed, loudly. “Ha ha!” she exclaimed. “This one’s got a spark.”

“Kinda puts you two to shame,” the bismuth joked, sending an elbow into the side of the ruby.

“Jealousy does not become you, my friend,” came the retort.

They were mocking her, she could tell and worse, they were insulting Carnelian. She was chalking it up to their ignorance; they had no idea what it was she did for her Diamond and they certainly didn’t care about their culture or society any more, so why should she even pay attention to it? She wasn’t and she nearly came close to just backing away when she heard the agate say this:

“So how long _did_ it take you to forget about your no name carnelian?”

Snowflake obsidians were not known for their emotions, in fact in comparison to a ruby or even an amethyst, their emotion levels were on an even keel; it was a trait bred into them and all of the gems within White Diamond’s court. Gem society was structured and logical, therefore the majority of gems were to act accordingly. White Diamond was the epitome of calmness and cool dictation and that was exactly what she required from her gems at all times.

For this particular snowflake obsidian, she had never experienced the type of white, hot anger she did now. Things seemed to be happening in a blur – she tried to reach the agate, but was stopped; everyone was on their feet now; it felt like this was happening to some other gem, like she was watching herself react. And for a brief moment, she wasn’t in a weird jungle clearing with the rebels; she was before Yellow and White Diamond and she was defending Carnelian, she was hitting the spinal that dared say those things about her.

In reality, Snowflake had snarled at the agate not to speak about Carnelian that way and the response had been a direct challenge. They didn’t know, did they? They had no idea who Lian was, what a wonderful gem she was, how smart she was, how…how beautiful she could be when smiled a certain way, laughed at something they both found amusing, gave her a look that was just for her…

“You can’t even say her name!” the agate cried. “It’s the same thing your precious Diamonds did to one of their own, too. I give you eleven minutes before you set your sight on another carnelian when you get back to Homeworld.”

“Lace, that was uncalled for,” Rose Quartz admonished.

“I’ve seen all I need to anyway,” Snowflake spat. Looking down at the blue gem below her, she said, “Please, my Clarity, you need not stay here. You are a sapphire of Blue Diamond’s court, not one of these rebel rousers…”

“Hey now,” pouted the jasper.

“Snowflake,” the sapphire replied, calmly. “I have already told you that I am here on my own accord.”

“You’re here because this ruby dared put her hands on you!”

“Watch what you say,” the ruby growled, taking a step forward.

“My Clarity,” pleaded Snowflake, heedless of the warning and the growing animosity that surrounded her. “Surely you understand the importance and the implications. You have a role on Homeworld to further our species and you are giving it up for _nothing_!”

“Ruby is _not_ nothing,” seethed the seer. “I fled the court on my own free will and I did it without any regrets. They were going to break her and _I would not allow that_.”

“Why not?” the obsidian cried. “She’s just a ruby!”

“Because I care more about Ruby than Blue Diamond!”

The outburst served to stun everyone into silence. Snowflake stumbled a few steps backwards, the declaration unnerving her. Her expression never dropped, though the others noticed a small twitch with her eyes, but her hands tightened into fists; predictably, the others took that as a plan to attack and readied themselves as such, even as Rose Quartz tried to smooth over the situation. It wasn’t the statement that shocked her, as much as the feeling and connotation behind it and it was something she could not face with these gems.

She had wanted to straighten herself, tell them she was going back to Homeworld with a report on them and that she was looking forward their execution. Instead, she turned and ran in the opposite direction, a wonderfully smart move that would take her away from the very people who knew this area and this planet better than she. She thought she had heard them calling for her, but she ignored it, running through tall green stalks and avoiding the green things that were in her face.

She however missed the trappings on the ground, as she ended up tripping over something on the ground and was sent sprawling to the dirt and grass below, face first. She immediately rolled over, only to notice that she was crying, tears having fallen from her eyes and obscuring her sight. Sitting up, she curled around herself, shaking with sobs she could no longer hold back. The sapphire’s words hit her like a bismuth’s hammer –

_“Because I care more about Ruby than Blue Diamond.”_

Rose Quartz and the Renegade Pearl had abandoned their Diamonds to incite a rebellion on the planet.

The jasper, the agate, and the bismuth had turned their backs on their purpose and their own Diamonds to aid in this foolishness.

And the sapphire…the sapphire had run from her own court with a ruby because her Diamond threatened to break it.

Snowflake…had done none of that.

When faced with the same situation, where the possibility of saving Carnelian had been in sight, she had demurred and stated it was the will of the Diamonds. Instead of doing what she wanted to – belting that smug spinal in the mouth, grabbing Lian by the hand, and rushing out of the room – she had just stood by and watched; watched as Yellow Diamond had shattered the one person she cared and trusted above all others right in front of her.

White Diamond had said something almost eerily similar – that she would and should forget the carnelian. She had been under suspicion herself, with her abrupt entrance into matters not concerning her; and she had stood before the two most powerful Diamonds on Homeworld and said that the carnelian was just a mere acquaintance and she had only been trying to discover if there had been some mistake as she knew the gem’s work ethic.

She had, to be blunt, cared more about the Diamonds than Carnelian.

And it had cost her Carnelian.

It was a fact that she tried to keep close, buried inside because the truth of the matter hurt. Afterwards, she couldn’t stop focusing on it – _could_ she have done something? Could they have escaped? As time went on, those questions soon turned to justifications – what they had been doing was wrong and they would have eventually gotten caught; Carnelian did go on assignments and for all Snowflake knew, she might have spoken to someone who sympathized with the rebellion on Earth; the white gem probably _would’ve_ joined the group and worse, the obsidian didn’t think she could resist if Lian had asked her to join as well. What she did was the right course of action; her purpose was to gather information for her Diamond, not frolic with another gem of her standing.

What could she have done? Nothing, of course, she would’ve been going up against the Diamonds and they would’ve lost. It was better this way; without Lian, she wasn’t as distracted. She was now given back the time she needed to go through reports and the like, without a curious gem wanting to spend time and snuggle with her. Gems didn’t do that, they were above such things; those things made you weak and Snowflake had been weak whenever Carnelian was around.

So why did she feel so bad?

Why did she always feel as though she had let the white gem down? That when it came to protecting each other, Snowflake hadn’t come through and had let Lian suffer as her fate.

“Snowflake?”

“Go away, Rose,” she sniffed. Of course the rebel leader would find her, of course. As though she hadn’t been humiliated enough.

She heard the quartz step closer before bending down. “Are you alright?” she asked. “Are you hurt?”

The black gem chuckled. “Just my pride,” she said, wiping her eyes.

“The others are very sorry for what they said,” Rose began. “If you want, Pearl can take you to the nearest warp pad and you can go back to wherever you were stationed. For obvious reasons, we probably won’t be here should you return, but…”

“I know,” Snowflake whispered. “It’s better that way, believe me.”

“Do you want to go back?” the quartz asked. “You don’t have to! There’s a few warp pads around here that we can take, whatever you want.”

“Whatever I want,” the obsidian whispered. “Whatever I want usually gets gems shattered, so I’ll take your direction, if you mind.”

Rose waited until Snowflake had composed herself before standing and offering the obsidian a hand up, which she took. The rebel leader never once asked why she had upset, probably relating it to the words that had been thrown against her by the rest of the group. The return walk took no time at all and Snowflake was even more embarrassed when she realized she hadn’t even gone far enough to escape the rebels’ radius.

As soon as the two were back in the clearing, the others immediately rushed to them. The darker gem closed her eyes quickly before opening them; no, she had been running from her fate, her punishment for too long. If the others wanted to do away with her, then that was what she deserved and she would have her eyes open for the deed. But while she expected a blow or several to come from the assembled gem roster, she didn’t anticipate what they _actually_ did.

“We’re sorry!”

Snowflake’s face scrunched in confusion. They were…apologizing? Why were they apologizing?

“We were just poking fun,” the jasper replied. “But we totally didn’t mean to upset you.”

“I’m sorry, Snowflake,” the agate added. “This was all my fault. I started that argument with you and I made you upset. I’m so sorry!”

The obsidian shook her head, trying to clear it from the strangeness of what was happening. She didn’t understand why they were apologizing; she was the interloper here and their lashing out was justified, seeing as she was doing her best to break this group apart. “It’s…” she started. “It’s okay.”

“It’s not okay.”

That was from the pearl, who threw a look towards the others. “Despite your mission and allegiance,” she continued. “You were still a guest here and we did not treat you with the respect reserved for you.”

The group looked contrite and genuinely shamed by their behavior. Once again, the rebels’ actions had stunned and confused her; if this had been on Homeworld, they would’ve been punished or even shattered. The underlings for sure, though with the sapphire, Snowflake would’ve been the one punished for her disrespectful manner towards her. She noted that the two had fused into the being called Garnet, a punishable offense in itself.

Things were so different here, so strange, so…so…wrong!

_“We shouldn’t be doing this.”_

_“After all this time, is this how you really feel?”_

_“Because I care more about Ruby than Blue Diamond.”_

“Are you going to tell Homeworld about this?” asked the agate, timidly.

Shaken from her thoughts, Snowflake looked at the dark orange gem. She would _absolutely_ inform Homeworld about this! She was going to take Rose Quartz up on her offer and leave these infidels to their inferiors and recommend the Diamonds eliminate these beings as quickly as possible. “No,” she replied, shaking her head. “I won’t tell Homeworld about this.”

That seemed to lift a weight from the others as they visibly relaxed. “The sun is still setting,” the fusion stated, gesturing towards their previous spot. “If you still want to watch it with us.”

Everything in her cried to not be taken in by the rebels, to refuse their hospitality. That this was all a trick and she knew her place in gem society and to go against it was treason and her reward would be death. But for a second in just as short of time as any, Snowflake ignored her instincts and instead gave a small nod. “I-I believe I would like that,” she whispered.

The smiles she received caused her face to grow hot and she quickly looked away. The group dispersed, finding their seats and positions again to continue watching this grand show they anticipated. Snowflake took back her position of leaning against the ‘tree’ that she had been doing before and focused her eyes on the horizon. And like clockwork, the image of Lian immediately filled her vision.

Conversation flowed around her, more joking amongst the group, but it was mostly how the odd colored ball in the sky was able to create the colors that appeared on the landscape before turning the sky from a bright blue to near black.

“Lian would’ve said the atmosphere of the planet was the prism in which that ball reflects its light down to the surface.”

The obsidian had once again stated her thoughts out loud and she turned to the others to gage their reactions. Unsurprisingly, they were all looking at her in surprise or confusion and she almost wanted to backtrack and replace her words with something else until the agate slowly nodded. “Yeah,” she said. “That makes sense.”

“Earth is a very strange planet,” the fusion replied.

“It certainly isn’t like any other world gems have been to,” the pearl added. “Maybe that’s the difference?”

“Of course it is,” Rose Quartz said, happily. “You’ve been to other worlds; surely Earth is one that you’ve never encountered before. It’s bound to have a ton of surprises!”

“Leave it to Rose to find the science in a planet fascinating,” joked the bismuth, causing the group to laugh.

“I find _everything_ about this planet fascinating, thank you,” the leader quipped.

Snowflake found herself giving a small smile at the statement. She tried to put herself in the boots of the rebels, but discovered it was just too weird of an assessment, so instead she thought about how Carnelian would find this place. And once again, she couldn’t shake the fact that Lian would’ve felt the same way the quartz did – as stated, Earth was a strange planet and for many gems, it wasn’t a landscape they had ever encountered before.

Lian would’ve taken a scientific view, of course, but it would’ve turned to admiration and awe. No, the obsidian was sure her partner would’ve no doubt wanted to learn more about the planet and its people and she would’ve joined the rebels’ cause of protecting the planet. That thought caused her to chuckle.

“Something funny?” asked the pearl.

Snowflake shook her head in mirth. “I just…” she started. “It was what you said. About finding everything on the planet fascinating; I was just thinking that Lian would’ve thought the same thing. Oh, it would’ve started out as observation and scientific research, but it would take one these to pull her in your direction.” Smirking, she said, “She would’ve loved this.”

“Sounds pretty smart,” the bismuth commented.

“She was.”

There was a moment where Snowflake thought that would be the end of the conversation, until Rose Quartz asked, “What happened to her?”

Snowflake did something no gem ever did on Homeworld – she took a deep breath, steadying herself for what she was preparing to do. “She was…” she began. “She was accused of being a spy, ironically enough. I don’t think you truly understand what your rebellion has truly done; for those on Homeworld, who know about what’s happening here, they’ll turn on anyone if it means they’d prove their worth to the Diamonds.

“There…was this spinel and I don’t know what the issue between her and Lian or if there even was one. Either way, Lian was called out for being a spy or a sympathizer; as soon as I heard, I rushed to the chambers and tried to plead her case, but…”

The obsidian trailed off, before turning to the group. They were in rapt attention at her story, with many of them looking saddened and horrified at the story. “In the end,” she finished. “I cared more about the Diamonds than I did her.”

“You asked why we were doing this,” Rose whispered. Looking up at the obsidian, she said, “That’s why.” The quartz quickly stood up and faced the group. “I started this rebellion because I wanted to protect this planet and the people and creatures on it, but this is more than just that. The people here are free to be who they want, to do what they want, to love who they want…”

The quartz held the eye of the obsidian before her. “I’ve seen the life that exists for itself,” she whispered. “And it lives here. For every gem I encounter, for all the ones _we’ve_ seen and spoken to and I always ask, ‘is this what you want?’. So I’m asking you the same question, Snowflake – is this what you want? To inject, to build, to lord? What is it that _you_ want, Snowflake?”

The obsidian had an immediate answer to that question, but it was something she couldn’t have. Maybe it wasn’t happenstance that she was picked for this assignment, to discover what it was that these rebels were actually fighting for. If she could go back in time, to prevent the events that lead to the lost of Lian, she would; but for now, there was no hope of that. However, perhaps this was the chance to do something that would atone for her earlier actions.

“We…are the Crystal Gems,” Rose stated, looking at everyone. “We fight for the life on this planet; we defend all the beings here, even the ones we don’t understand.” Sharing a look with the fusion, before looking at Snowflake. “We believe in love that is out of anyone’s control. And…we will risk _everything_ for it!”

The darker gem looked at the others as they grinned at each other. She hadn’t exactly given an answer to the rebel leader’s question, but the thought that she could atone for her actions with Carnelian. She didn’t believe the gem was a part of the rebel network, but perhaps if she had acted – done anything at all – Lian would still be here.

Once, she had cared too much about propriety, about standing, and about the Diamonds than she did about the person closest to her. Maybe…maybe this time she could care about something she wanted for once.


End file.
